Blink 182 – ONE MORE TIME
Kassidy Wiskari November 13, 2023
Blink-182’s album ONE MORE TIME… came out in mid october. It’s their ninth studio album and they’ve been making music together since 1994. They’ve had a little bit of a rocky time as a band, with Tom DeLonge leaving twice but ultimately returning in 2022 just in time to make this album. This was a surprise to me because they have said before that they didn’t think they would ever play together again.
There is a common theme between most of the songs of nostalgia and looking back on their career. If I had to guess, I would say this is going to be their last album. Bassist and vocalist Mark Hoppus was diagnosed with cancer in April of 2021, so they most likely are going to retire or go on hiatus for their own personal reasons after this tour.
As an avid pop punk enjoyer, I always get excited when Blink-182 releases anything new. Like many 2000’s kids, I grew up on their music. This album definitely has their classic sound back after their last two albums started to steer away from the pop punk genre. I really enjoyed the sound of this project overall.
The first track, “Anthem Part 3,” is a callback to their albums Enema of The State and Take Off Your Pants and Jacket. I thought this was a really great way to start the album. It’s a celebration of having their band back together for the last time and sets the tone for the album as a whole.
Some of my favorite tracks, “Fell In Love” and “More Than You Know” are the second and sixth. These are super danceable and catchy, with upbeat drums and poppy vocals. The lyrics of each are pretty simple. “Fell In Love” reflects on the start of a relationship and “More Than You Know” talks about a toxic relationship causing pain “more than you’ll ever know.” I love these because they are so similar to the old Blink-182 sound, but the entire album has that really good nostalgic vibe.
The project ends with “Childhood,” which feels like a goodbye to me. The lyrics “2023, who the f*ck are we?” and “we just need some time away, take me back to yesterday,” definitely give this impression. This track is slower and the softest track on this album, reflecting on how time slipped away from them while they got caught up in fame and the trials of adult life. They got signed by a label in 1994 right out of high
school. I hope they make more music, but if they don’t, this is definitely a solid way to say goodbye to their fans. I really enjoyed it and felt that it was a great tribute to their career together. They will be going on their “One More Time!” tour in 2024 with Pierce The Veil.
Rating: 8/10 (10/10 if you include the nostalgia factor)
Favorites: FELL IN LOVE, MORE THAN YOU KNOW, CHILDHOOD
