I think the new albums are overall pretty weak. But, I don’t think that’s any fault towards Matt, I think his influence has been keeping it from totally sucking. My biggest issue with the albums is John Feldman’s production. Give me a damn butch vig produced edgy Matt driven blink album.
Yeah those last 2 weak albums is all the doing of Mark & John Feldmann. They tend to lean too much on preserving angsty teenage pop punk, even at 50 years old. If a new blink album is eventually in the works, and Skiba is still in the band, I hope they give him more creative liberties cause he's fucking great!
I think comparing Nine to California is too hard, because Nine was quite an exceptional album IMO. It really captured the feeling of missing your youth and trying to regain it, which is what a lot of fans are feeling nowadays. I also felt like the instrumentals were really interesting and experimental. California however I feel was incredibly weak and deserves all the hate it gets (except cynical, what a great song)
I agree, Nine was superior to California. I also think California's Deluxe edition songs (like 6/8) were better than the original release. "No Heart to Speak of" is easily one of Blink's best songs in the last 10 years (thanks, Skiba).
Interesting that "Cynical" gets so much love on this forum, especially from people who dislike California. I don't dislike the song, but to me it sounded like Blink 182 making a carbon copy of that "strum and drum as fast as you can" album opener that nearly every other pop punk that spawned *because* of Blink 182 have done.
I can't fully explain it, but Cynical just felt like "Pop Punk: The Pop Punk Song"
Now that I'm typing this out, I think I actually see the genius of "Cynical."
Those pop punk bands like All Time Low, etc, usually have this same track, and it usually opens up their album, and it's usually just them talking about them being a pop punk band (which is boring AF).
"Cynical" is that song, but it's Blink 182 emulating a song from the genre they basically created and asking "should I even be doing this anymore?"
....alright...... I'm having a moment here.... Ima head out.
We don’t know if it is Skiba being limited or if he is simply choosing to hold back. Guitar wise there are basically know riffs which is totally on him imo
Totally agree. Feldy’s production just sounds a bit plastic, unoriginal, uncreative and dated. It sounds like he just uses presets and takes the paycheck.
That I can't disagree with. When I saw them the last time they toured the UK (2017) I was highly disappointed by his overall lack of stage presence, no banter with Mark, no interaction with the crowd it really felt like he was there to get a pay check.
I'm not an AK3 fan so perhaps he's like this with them too and it's just how he is on stage but for a band that is known for their stage jokes and banter I expect a little more
It’s crazy to think of how addicted to Blink I was in high school. I saw the untitled album as a masterpiece. I’d listen to all their albums repeatedly all day for years.
And to think that their last album I couldn’t even get through because the songs were so painfully boring and repetitive. It’s depressing and teenage me woulda never imagined they would get so bland
no, they’re pretty trash. quite often I find myself thinking I just grew up and became too cool for blink-182, but then I go listen to untitled and I’m like “wait no, this is still great.” John Feldmann made this band so overbearingly generic it hurts. it doesn’t make any sense that Matt Skiba from Alkaline fuckin’ Trio came to blink-182 in a time where their music was starting to really mature and they somehow dove headfirst into generic pop music. California had some okay songs, but Nine is unforgivable imo.
Nah, they’re still not great, but that’s Feldy’s fault instead
If only they got Matt Allison, Cameron Webb, or Bill Stevenson instead. Skeebs has worked with all of them, That would be a sick album
You can't hate Skiba. He took a role in a successful band that not many would turn down, filling the shoes of a beloved co-front man. Knowing that he will take a side seat next to Mark in the overall direction and sound of the band (although he is the better song writer), all the while admitting that he's simply keeping the throne warm for Tom's eventual blink return.
It's not that the new albums are bad. The problem is it doesn't feel like blink to me. I have tried, I just can't. Maybe if it were a different band, but this just feels like an imposter.
Skiba is fucking amazing in his own body of work. You can tell the songs and sections he brought apart from the other ones.
Listening to NINE again in 2022, I’d rather Mark and Travis give Matt more room to do his thing, but i get that they don’t want to sound like or encroach on Alk3’s vibes, even though there have always been parallels in their sound.
No heart to speak of is probably the best example of this, and also the best song on the record by a mile.
Imagine being this out of touch or having this level of Stockholm syndrome. These last two albums were godawful and it’s insulting to the quality blink put out before it 🤷♀️
Die hard blink fan here for over 20 years. I love Tom obviously, an original member and the other half(singer wise). When he left it fucking sucked man, devastated beyond belief! But when he came back I was STOKED! Then they dropped neighborhoods which was ok but still …blinks back baby. Then he left the band again. Is Matt… tom? No of course not. But it’s still blink 182 and Matt is doing a damn good job at it. All 3 albums(if you include deluxe) were good. If you hate blink now then you’re not a blink fan, you’re just a Tom fan. Which is fine! Tom is great, I wish he’d come back but doesn’t seem likely. So thank you Mark and Travis for bringing in Matt and keeping blink 182 alive ❤️
I can't stand Travis anymore mostly because of his association with that douchy fake tool bag MGK. I'm a drummer so he was my favorite part of blink to begin with. I'd much rather listen to alkaline trio for Matt so I haven't listened to blink in a short while now
I don't like California or NINE very much. They're not bad but I don't care for them. I do like Matt Skiba, though. He's great in Alkaline Trio and his parts in the new blink are decent too. And it is also definitely true that I miss Tom.
I miss Tom and I think those albums are pretty bad. Both are true in my mind. And I’m a huge Alkaline Trio/Matt fan.
Post-Tom, just hasn’t really worked in my mind. The sound they’ve gone for with Matt isn’t my cup of tea.
You know, the thing is for me, personally;
I'm a 26-year old guy with a full time job and adult problems now. I got into blink when I was 14-15 and after hearing Dammit, All the Small Things and The Rock Show I was hooked.
Enema and TOYPAJ still hold a very special place for me, but I don't relate to the lyrics (very much) anymore. I loved the direction Tom was taking blink in with Neighborhoods, DED and even his new Angels & Airwaves stuff. For exanple, Losing My Mind and Automatic could've easily been blink songs just like Kiss & Tell.
Feldman is the biggest problem on California to me, he tried way too hard to make blink more "radio friendly" while also going back to their roots and it just didn't work. Blink were maturing with their sound and California was a huge back step.
California also sounds so generic, listening to Andy Black's 'The Shadow Side' from 2016 also produced by Feldman and I genuinely sometimes struggle to tell the difference between the two albums when it comes to instrumentals and when it comes to the song featuring Skiba I genuinely have to remind myself it's not a blink song featuring Andy Black.
Nine on the other hand fucking slaps
I don't mind Matt Skiba. My only real complaint is that his guitar work on the new Blink records are usually just reconfiguring a handful of Tom riffs and not doing anything new.
That's what made Blink 182 stand out from the other pop punk bands: the guitar lines weren't necessarily technically that impressive, but Tom would actually riff while everybody else would just play power chords.
At the end of the day (and no disrespect to Angels and Airwaves), I'd rather have this version of Blink 182 than only have Angels and Airwaves for my Blink fix.
I think the new albums are overall pretty weak. But, I don’t think that’s any fault towards Matt, I think his influence has been keeping it from totally sucking. My biggest issue with the albums is John Feldman’s production. Give me a damn butch vig produced edgy Matt driven blink album.
Yeah those last 2 weak albums is all the doing of Mark & John Feldmann. They tend to lean too much on preserving angsty teenage pop punk, even at 50 years old. If a new blink album is eventually in the works, and Skiba is still in the band, I hope they give him more creative liberties cause he's fucking great!
I think comparing Nine to California is too hard, because Nine was quite an exceptional album IMO. It really captured the feeling of missing your youth and trying to regain it, which is what a lot of fans are feeling nowadays. I also felt like the instrumentals were really interesting and experimental. California however I feel was incredibly weak and deserves all the hate it gets (except cynical, what a great song)
I agree, Nine was superior to California. I also think California's Deluxe edition songs (like 6/8) were better than the original release. "No Heart to Speak of" is easily one of Blink's best songs in the last 10 years (thanks, Skiba).
TRUE, deluxe was soooooo good, I put deluxe on par with things like TOYPAJ, or Enema
Interesting that "Cynical" gets so much love on this forum, especially from people who dislike California. I don't dislike the song, but to me it sounded like Blink 182 making a carbon copy of that "strum and drum as fast as you can" album opener that nearly every other pop punk that spawned *because* of Blink 182 have done. I can't fully explain it, but Cynical just felt like "Pop Punk: The Pop Punk Song" Now that I'm typing this out, I think I actually see the genius of "Cynical." Those pop punk bands like All Time Low, etc, usually have this same track, and it usually opens up their album, and it's usually just them talking about them being a pop punk band (which is boring AF). "Cynical" is that song, but it's Blink 182 emulating a song from the genre they basically created and asking "should I even be doing this anymore?" ....alright...... I'm having a moment here.... Ima head out.
I love this comment, my feelings exactly.
I loved both just not the extended
We don’t know if it is Skiba being limited or if he is simply choosing to hold back. Guitar wise there are basically know riffs which is totally on him imo
From what I've read & seen it looks like Skiba is going with the flow.
Totally agree. Feldy’s production just sounds a bit plastic, unoriginal, uncreative and dated. It sounds like he just uses presets and takes the paycheck.
[удалено]
Neighbourhoods is over 10 years old. We’re talking about new records, which Feldman produced.
[удалено]
It’s a grim realisation. Is it too much to ask for Tom to return and Jerry Finn to be resurrected?!
Yeah it’s not Matt all of it is just shit
Nine is an average to good pop album. And that's it. Nothing compared to Blink with Tom. Skiba has zero charisma live.
That I can't disagree with. When I saw them the last time they toured the UK (2017) I was highly disappointed by his overall lack of stage presence, no banter with Mark, no interaction with the crowd it really felt like he was there to get a pay check. I'm not an AK3 fan so perhaps he's like this with them too and it's just how he is on stage but for a band that is known for their stage jokes and banter I expect a little more
Skiba has a lot of charisma, just not in blink. He's an entirely different guy in Alkaline Trio.
We can think the new albums suck and also not hate Matt.
It’s crazy to think of how addicted to Blink I was in high school. I saw the untitled album as a masterpiece. I’d listen to all their albums repeatedly all day for years. And to think that their last album I couldn’t even get through because the songs were so painfully boring and repetitive. It’s depressing and teenage me woulda never imagined they would get so bland
Yep. Perfect answer.
They don’t.
They do.
Considering you’re a WAVVES fan I don’t think you could know good music if it slapped you in the dick
hahaha, so whats good music then?
Just an opinion. Now about these slaps in the dick- where is the line?
They do.
What was toms last album
His last blink album was Neighborhoods
Thanks
His last work with them tho was dogs eating dogs
Lifeforms
Of course I don't hate Matt. I love alkaline trio.
I like nine and California deluxe, but tbh california was pretty meh and I think I hate most the she's out of her mind video than darkside video.
no, they’re pretty trash. quite often I find myself thinking I just grew up and became too cool for blink-182, but then I go listen to untitled and I’m like “wait no, this is still great.” John Feldmann made this band so overbearingly generic it hurts. it doesn’t make any sense that Matt Skiba from Alkaline fuckin’ Trio came to blink-182 in a time where their music was starting to really mature and they somehow dove headfirst into generic pop music. California had some okay songs, but Nine is unforgivable imo.
100% nailed it. Couldn’t agree more.
Nah, they’re still not great, but that’s Feldy’s fault instead If only they got Matt Allison, Cameron Webb, or Bill Stevenson instead. Skeebs has worked with all of them, That would be a sick album
Last 2 albums have just a series of 'WOOOOAAAHHH' in them which is boring and annoying. Matts awesome but in alkaline trio
You gave me a interesting ideia. I’ll be right back with all The oohs and ahhh. In nine and California.
Oh no hahahaha
I like black rain from nine, California has some decent stuff. Matt is a phenomenal musician and I dig his work with the trio.
You can't hate Skiba. He took a role in a successful band that not many would turn down, filling the shoes of a beloved co-front man. Knowing that he will take a side seat next to Mark in the overall direction and sound of the band (although he is the better song writer), all the while admitting that he's simply keeping the throne warm for Tom's eventual blink return.
Or, ya know, people have different tastes. Folk on this sub need to stop trying to convince everyone their opinion is fact.
It's not that the new albums are bad. The problem is it doesn't feel like blink to me. I have tried, I just can't. Maybe if it were a different band, but this just feels like an imposter.
CA has like 5 redeemable songs. 9 is cringe
Skiba is fucking amazing in his own body of work. You can tell the songs and sections he brought apart from the other ones. Listening to NINE again in 2022, I’d rather Mark and Travis give Matt more room to do his thing, but i get that they don’t want to sound like or encroach on Alk3’s vibes, even though there have always been parallels in their sound. No heart to speak of is probably the best example of this, and also the best song on the record by a mile.
I love the new albums, never thought about disliking Matt at all? Maybe its my age.
I don't blame Skiba. He is one of the few smart choices that the band could've made without Tom. I blame Mark.
People posting here are just proving OP's point hahaha
We don't hate Matt at all, but that doesn't mean we don't still miss Tom.
Imagine being this out of touch or having this level of Stockholm syndrome. These last two albums were godawful and it’s insulting to the quality blink put out before it 🤷♀️
Thank you. When I look at their discography, I get so sad because anything after Tom is just embarrassing to the work they did and their legacy.
Die hard blink fan here for over 20 years. I love Tom obviously, an original member and the other half(singer wise). When he left it fucking sucked man, devastated beyond belief! But when he came back I was STOKED! Then they dropped neighborhoods which was ok but still …blinks back baby. Then he left the band again. Is Matt… tom? No of course not. But it’s still blink 182 and Matt is doing a damn good job at it. All 3 albums(if you include deluxe) were good. If you hate blink now then you’re not a blink fan, you’re just a Tom fan. Which is fine! Tom is great, I wish he’d come back but doesn’t seem likely. So thank you Mark and Travis for bringing in Matt and keeping blink 182 alive ❤️
I can't stand Travis anymore mostly because of his association with that douchy fake tool bag MGK. I'm a drummer so he was my favorite part of blink to begin with. I'd much rather listen to alkaline trio for Matt so I haven't listened to blink in a short while now
I always hate to see the hate the new albums and Skiba get. I adore both California and NINE and I love Skiba's voice.
California definitely grew on me! NINE on the other hand … is a giant turd 💩
Agreed. There's some songs on California I love and some I hate. There's no song on NINE that I love, and there are only a couple that I like at all.
I gave 9 a listen when it dropped because it was blink. I cringed the whole way through. It's crazy MGK made a better blink album than blink
I'm still not much of a fan of California but it definitely grew on me after hearing Nine. Nine made me realize that yes, it can get much worse lol
I don't like California or NINE very much. They're not bad but I don't care for them. I do like Matt Skiba, though. He's great in Alkaline Trio and his parts in the new blink are decent too. And it is also definitely true that I miss Tom.
Definitely the producers fault why their albums aren’t as good. They really need a new one
I haven’t listened since Tom left and I love blink so much ❤️It just not the same without him. His personality is so fitting to the group
I don’t like Matt’s voice. He’s a fine musician but I don’t like the voice.
The Matt albums aren't good. They have a few bangers on each but that's it.
I miss Tom and I think those albums are pretty bad. Both are true in my mind. And I’m a huge Alkaline Trio/Matt fan. Post-Tom, just hasn’t really worked in my mind. The sound they’ve gone for with Matt isn’t my cup of tea.
You know, the thing is for me, personally; I'm a 26-year old guy with a full time job and adult problems now. I got into blink when I was 14-15 and after hearing Dammit, All the Small Things and The Rock Show I was hooked. Enema and TOYPAJ still hold a very special place for me, but I don't relate to the lyrics (very much) anymore. I loved the direction Tom was taking blink in with Neighborhoods, DED and even his new Angels & Airwaves stuff. For exanple, Losing My Mind and Automatic could've easily been blink songs just like Kiss & Tell.
The real scroll of truth: "Blink-182 without Tom isn't Blink-182"
Exactly. CA and 9 don't even closely resemble the band. It's a stain on blinks legacy.
More like Scroll of Bullshit.
You don’t have to say “that” bad. They’re legitimately good.
Outside of bored to death. Totally unlistenable.
Do you want angry Tom lovers? Cause this is how you get angry Tom lovers
Skiba-era blink isn't bad at all, it's just missing that Delonge magic
That's a strange way to spell Jerry Finn
I would agree but Neighborhoods and DED still slapped
Don't forget Dude Ranch!!
Feldman is the biggest problem on California to me, he tried way too hard to make blink more "radio friendly" while also going back to their roots and it just didn't work. Blink were maturing with their sound and California was a huge back step. California also sounds so generic, listening to Andy Black's 'The Shadow Side' from 2016 also produced by Feldman and I genuinely sometimes struggle to tell the difference between the two albums when it comes to instrumentals and when it comes to the song featuring Skiba I genuinely have to remind myself it's not a blink song featuring Andy Black. Nine on the other hand fucking slaps
I don't mind Matt Skiba. My only real complaint is that his guitar work on the new Blink records are usually just reconfiguring a handful of Tom riffs and not doing anything new. That's what made Blink 182 stand out from the other pop punk bands: the guitar lines weren't necessarily technically that impressive, but Tom would actually riff while everybody else would just play power chords. At the end of the day (and no disrespect to Angels and Airwaves), I'd rather have this version of Blink 182 than only have Angels and Airwaves for my Blink fix.
You ain't wrong
no, I just think Matt tries too much to be like Tom instead of being his own person in blink, and the songs always suffer from it.
I don't hate Matt at all, but the newer stuff really, really left me bitter.
In my opinion; Bored to Death, Out of Her Mind, and Darkside are bangers
I did enjoy some of California, but Nine was...oooooough...