Both a love letter to the band’s home state and the experiences it afforded them, and a love letter to life itself, California is a record steeped in vigour and vitality.
California sounds like the work of a band filled with the joy of existence, giving in to every pop indulgence or production trick that could stuff in one more hook before the end.
At its best, California shows Blink trying new ways to freshen up yesterday's racket.
California plays out less like an album and more like a collection of songs; uneven and disjointed, it's hard to take in as one larger whole.
The best way to listen to California is to surrender and let it happen to you. The sooner the brains get turned off and the past is forgotten, the better a time will be had.
If the entire album was stuffed similarly, with sneeze-length quips and short stabs of power chords, California would seem no less anomalous for what it’s trying to be: the pop-punk eminence album, evidence humbly submitted that an aging pack of skater brats hasn’t jumped off the hedonic treadmill just yet and is still young, selectively dumb, and full of commiserating angst.
As has been well documented, Tom Delonge is missing on California, and his absence is a glaring one on Blink 182’s seventh album.
California is the sound of Blink-182 desperately trying to remain relevant by outsourcing its creativity.
California is desperately unadventurous.
Brief Review: Im sorry my child…
Perhaps I treated you too harshly.
“California” is a perfectly fine and acceptable take on 2010s pop punk. Considering these guys are veterans of the genre, they def still know how to write some good tunes here and there. But the majority of this album is just kinda boring and not all that interesting, especially compared to their all time classic albums from the 90s. But still, considering how other comeback albums have gone for other ... read more
If you want to hear an adult man unapologetically praise the state of California across an entire album I recommend listening to RHCP - Californication instead.
After a five year break from albums and the second break between the band members, Travis Barker and Mark Hoppus enlist Matt Skiba of Alkaline Trio to fill in for former band member Tom DeLonge who instead chose to seek out UFOs. No that isn't a joke, that is exactly what DeLonge is up to now. The new three-piece may have been able to ... read more
I love this cover but goddddd why did it have to be for such a subpar album, this isn't bad but fuckkkkkkkkkkkkkkk it's not good is it
Another blink album that upon relistening to, it has fallen off in insane ways. Give California credit where credit is due, that streak of Kings Of The Weekend, Teenage Satellites, Left Alone, and Rabbit Hole is an INCREDIBLY strong streak, although there is also genuine ass on this album like Sober, and relatively mediocre tracks like Bored To Death, She's Out of Her Mind, and No Future. The joke songs were not great additions, and they really should've let the album just conclude with the ... read more
A couple of great songs mixed with mostly mediocre content, however league above there awful 2023 releases so I would encourage you to give this a listen over that cornball of a record. Also not every moments is boring on here, but I was a little disappointed with this release.
Top 5 Tracks: No Future (Best), Bored To Death, Sober, She's Out Of Her Mind, Teenage Satellites
Washed up rock bands releasing music years after the prime of their career gotta be one of my least favourite genres
1 | Cynical 1:55 | 76 |
2 | Bored to Death 3:55 | 81 |
3 | She's Out Of Her Mind 2:42 | 71 |
4 | Los Angeles 3:03 | 63 |
5 | Sober 2:59 | 61 |
6 | Built This Pool 0:16 | 57 |
7 | No Future 3:45 | 63 |
8 | Home Is Such a Lonely Place 3:21 | 70 |
9 | Kings of the Weekend 2:56 | 65 |
10 | Teenage Satellites 3:11 | 62 |
11 | Left Alone 3:09 | 64 |
12 | Rabbit Hole 2:35 | 65 |
13 | San Diego 3:12 | 64 |
14 | The Only Thing That Matters 1:57 | 64 |
15 | California 3:10 | 62 |
16 | Brohemian Rhapsody 0:30 | 52 |
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