• Entertaining party album - A review of Blink-182's Nine

    Blink-182 - Nine (2019)

    Blink-182 is back in the pop punk game with new studio record Nine. After a nasty split and a hopelessly nostalgic coaster entitled California, the expanded deluxe edition of said album was already a step in the right direction with energetic song material with some actual guitar riffs instead of shallow sing-along passages. Nine is on the same level as comeback record Neighborhoods and its overlooked follow-up extended play Dogs Eating Dogs. The main difference is that Nine is less experimental and more streamlined as it finds the right balance between energetic punk rock vibes and catchy pop melodies.

    The former style can be witnessed in the short and pitiless ''Generational Divide'' that goes back to the band's roots and offers ninety-four seconds of relentless excitement that makes listeners crave for more. The latter style is represented with songs such as ''Black Rain'' that has an eerie, longing and almost melodramatic touch with reduced instrumental work and haunting vocals. Several songs on the record are right in between both stylistic divides such as catchy yet dynamic opener ''The First Time''. This mixture of genres yet focus on the band's two stylistic inspirations make the record entertaining and fluid from start to finish without any noteworthy fillers.

    The record however still has a few imperfections. The heavily processed lead vocals by Matt Skiba sound so as if a robot were singing instead of a human being. Perhaps the band used these sound effects to sound more modern and follow a trend in contemporary pop music but a more natural sound would have added some energy, identity and soul to the record. While the song writing is decent, the record lacks a few obvious hits that would stand the test of time and still be remembered one or two decades from here. Nine is an entertaining ride while it lasts but its replay value and distinctiveness are rather average.

    Still, fans of Blink-182 will get the band's strongest release in eight years and should appreciate the vibrant combination of punk rock, pop music and a few alternative rock elements. Nine is an entertaining record that could easily be played at a party as it offers uplifting music for almost every taste. Let's hope the band sharpens its songwriting skills, gets rid of overproduced sound effects and adds more oomph to deliver not only a very good but an excellent record in the future.

    Final rating: 80%

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