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How Star Wars & Blink-182 are Alike: A Review of Their New Album â€˜Neighborhoodsâ€™

The Star Wars saga for Blink-182 begins with their very successful album Enema of the State, which is like “A New Hope.” They had already had a few other albums at the time this album was released, but this is when they really hit it big and a reason pop punk is what it is today. “Star Wars: A New Hope,” was a big change in how movies were made and viewed just like how Enema was for pop punk music.

There is not a punk band from that generation that did what Blink did, sorry Green Day. Blink gave kids everywhere anthems about growing up and it was being sung by guys who were from the suburbs and who skateboarded. They were teens just like us who grew up with the same problems we complained about every day. It can be said that they perfected the pop punk scene. They have inspired so many bands and are the reason why bands like Paramore, New Found Glory, Fall Out Boy, Sum 41 and Yellowcard are around today. I seem to remember a movie inspiring and changing the movie industry just like Blink-182 did for pop punk.

The original Star Wars trilogy was loved by so many and shaped the lives of many others, despite some flaws. The same will be said for Blink-182 and their “Original Trilogy” consisting of “Enema of the State,” “Take Off Your Pants & Jacket,” and “Blink-182” (Self Titled). When we found out Darth Vader was Luke Skywalker’s father in “The Empire Strikes Back” we were shocked, just like we were when we found out the real meaning behind the album title “Take Off Your Pants & Jacket.”Â Â  While “Return of the Jedi” was very different, as was “Blink-182.” Now in 2011, after 8 years of anticipation we get what could be the beginning of the “New Trilogy” in “Neighborhoods.”

There are going to be people who don’t like this album because it is not like the “Original Trilogy” this is something new and fresh. It is something that cannot be compared with the other Blink albums, because the band has “grown up” and has lyrics with meaning, kind of like in their self-titled album.Â  This album is just big, loud, and dark. There is a feeling that the band wants to make some kind of statement like look Blink-182 is back and we want to take that pop punk sound we perfected and flip it on its head. This might seem like a new band, with the past differences aside, and Travis surviving the plane crash no wonder this album has a dark feel to it. The majority of the songs are very upbeat but with “depressing” lyrics, but arguably the bands best most meaningful lyrics to date.

Lyrics are so looked down upon today, and nothing of what they used to be. This is a big change for the band when you are used to hearing about, “First Dates, Grandpa’s eating hotdogs, and Aliens Existing.” The nice part is that many of the lyrics could be taken differently my different sorts of people. These lyrics are even depressing at some parts at times, but very mature, for what used to be an “immature” band.

If you are looking for “old Blink” listen to the “Original Trilogy” and if you are looking for something that is fresh for the series then give “Neighborhoods” a listen, and enjoy the band you grew up with, now mature like you are.


Notable songs:

Up All Night
After Midnight
Hearts All Gone

Josh Raj


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