California
| Blink-182
California
California is the seventh (or eighth if Buddha is considered their debut) studio album by American rock band Blink-182, released on July 1, 2016 through BMG as the band's only album on the label. Produced by John Feldmann, it is the first album by the band to feature Alkaline Trio frontman Matt Skiba, who replaced former member Tom DeLonge. After touring and releasing the band's sixth album Neighborhoods (2011), it became difficult for the trio to record new material, due to DeLonge's side projects. After several repeated delays, DeLonge departed from the band[8]and bassist Mark Hoppus and drummer Travis Barker recruited Skiba in his place. California was recorded at Foxy Studios between January and March 2016 with Feldmann. He was the group's first new lone producer since longtime collaborator Jerry Finn started working with the band in 1998. Prior to his involvement, the trio began writing together in September 2015 and completed dozens of songs. They decided to shelve them upon working with Feldmann to start fresh, and they proceeded to record another 28 songs; in all, the group recorded upwards of 50. The band, as well as Feldmann, would regularly spend 18 hours in the studio a day, aiming to start and complete multiple songs in that timeframe. The album's title comes from the band's home state of California, and its artwork was illustrated by the street artist D*Face.-"Wikipedia"
Critic Reviews
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Pitchfork
The album is a much slicker petition, though. It opens with a bald-faced admission of nerves, a level stare that doubles as a keen bit of reverse psychology. while the conceit was funnier earlier, even 10 tracks earlier—when our pants fit better and our eyes were wider—it’s still pretty damn likable.
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Rolling Stone
After two weirdly restrained albums (2003’s Blink-182 and 2011’s Neighborhoods), the band is aiming to recapture its gold en-age sound on California. there are endearing signs of growth and even wisdom. At its best, California shows Blink trying new ways to freshen up yesterday’s racket.
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Consequence of Sound
The difference is that California doesn’t go out of its way to stay creative. Here lies the death of the immediate hook, but Blink-182 are having fun regardless — and hearing that may be the best part of this album.
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Dying Scene
Fans will forever be conflicted when it comes to Tom Delonge’s departure. While he was clearly instrumental in the formation of the band and the band’s first ten years of success, California is so much better than Neighborhoods that I’m tempted to view his absence as addition by subtraction. At sixteen tracks, including two joke songs totaling a combined 46 seconds, California is a tad long – like this review – and has perhaps one too many slow songs. When all is said and done, however, this is an excellent return from one of punk rock’s all-time most successful acts.
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The Daily
“California” is an attempt to revitalize the band following a series of underwhelming music and the departure of DeLonge, and it does so by trying to capture what people love about the band. The band’s first “joke songs” in over a decade pop up in the form of the sub-minute tracks, “Built This Pool” and “Brohemian Rhapsody,” demonstrating the group’s sophomoric, yet charming sense of humor.
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The Guardian
There are a few spirited attempts to summon the adolescent irreverence of old, but generally this is a tired – and tiring – work. Perhaps the presence of DeLonge and his tales of alien invasion might have livened things up a bit.
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Rock Sound
The deluxe edition of ‘California’ is set to be released less than a year after the main version – an album that took three and a half years to come to fruition – so if you (somehow) still thought Blink-182 were finished, the bulk of these 12 songs offer conclusive proof that there is life after Tom.
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Black Squirrel
With California, Blink delivers a decent album with some feel-good bangers sure to make old fans extremely happy. But, if you’re expecting a continuation of the artistic growth that Neighborhoods started, I’m afraid it left with Tom.
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The Young Folks
All in all, I think there’s only one real summation to be made on the whole about Blink and in particular, Delonge’s departure from the band and I think they said it best in one of the best songs they’ve ever written.
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