It’s been too long since we had a new Blink-182 album, and “One More Time…” is exactly what the doctor ordered. If you were concerned they might have matured a little too much through their struggles of recent years, fret not. “One More Time…” has all of the tight pop-punk drive and potty humor we love and demand from them.
Neither cancer nor an airplane crash has killed the fun we remember, which in itself is a statement of their resilience and friendship. This isn’t the record of a band trying to make ends meet. They clearly wrote this group of songs to bring back the magic that catapulted them up the charts two decades ago, and it worked.
The record opens with Anthem Part 3, a clear message that drummer Travis Barker’s journey into other genres doesn’t mean he’s forgotten his roots. I’d argue this album shows him at his absolute best, and what better way to start things off than rounding out an Anthem trilogy?
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Dance With Me is an absolute masterclass in pop-punk sensibilities. It took me an hour to get the fourth song because I just kept starting the whole thing over, and I largely blame this song and its beautifully addictive hook. I managed to restrain myself from slam-dancing around the coffee shop like a middle-aged lunatic.
The nostalgia is real as I listen. I keep flashing back to fun days as a knothead teenager at the mall or skating around an abandoned Walmart with old friends. The album hits some serious notes, but not at the expense of fun.
The album’s title track, One More Time, tells the story of why they’re back. It’s the ballad of Blink-182. Age-old grudges and past mistakes pale in comparison to the reality of life. From Mark Hoppus’ battle with cancer to Barker’s airplane crash, these things seemed to put life in perspective from this band of punks.
The lyrical themes on the track deal with the seriousness of their past that can’t be ignored. Anger, forgiveness, and finally, revival.
Turn This Off! is one of my favorite tracks on the album. I think I can also say it’s my favorite song to ever clock in under 30 seconds. Like, really, what’s more punk than a 24-second blaster about premature ejaculation? F**k Face is a similar blast co-written with Tim Armstrong. The track is reminiscent of 1980s hardcore and cuts to the bone.
Bad News starts off delicate but blasts into a track about a dying relationship that harkens back to their earlier years. Barker’s drums take on the Iron Maiden gallop in between blast beats under Mark Hoppus’ vocals.
Other Side is a tribute to Hoppus’ late bass tech, Robert Noise. Noise died in 2022 and the loss was tough for Mark.
It’ll never be the same, stage right
Other Side, Blink-182
I’ve just hit a few of the highlights, but please listen to this album. Rock out. Slam dance around your coffee shop if necessary. It’s worth it.
As the band hits the road “one more time” in 2023 and 2024, you won’t want to miss the show. Musically, they’re as tight as ever, and watching them interact, I’d say the same about their friendship.
They may be a little older, but blink-182 is firing on every cylinder and not to be missed. As they say in the title track, don’t wait to do this one more time.
