Blink 182  - Blink 182 - Up All Night

Blink 182 - Up All Night

So here it is, after 8 years waiting Blink 182’s new single ‘Up all Night’. On first listen you can tell people are going to jump to the conclusion that it should have been Delonge’s other band, Angels and Airwaves, B-side to one of their singles. However, if you listen deeper it seems as though it’s more than that…

Agreed, it flirts with Angles and Airwaves’ signature electronics, but rather it seems to cross over more to the Box Car Racer era which stands out the most in the riff that takes the part as the hook of the song. It is not until Mark’s vocals come in on the verse which opens the flood gates to the magic of Blink 182. This, along with Travis’s drum techniques and rhythms that any fan would recognise, really does prove that this track belongs to the Blink heritage and not just destined to be stuck on a B-side.

Continuing where they left off from the Self-titled album with songs like ‘Down’ and ‘Asthenia’, this song really does show Blink’s own sound which they had previously created. Thankfully however, it avoids the new phase of the genre in which they helped to create, escaping the break downs, gang vocals and beards. I believe it to even tickle the ‘Enema of the State’ era in the verses with the bass that is laid underneath Delonge’s distinct vocals and guitar.

One of the biggest downsides however is seen whenever a band this big reform, it seems as though their “fans” are simply going to complain whatever they bring out. Whether it’s not as good as the record that made them what they are, or whether it is not as good as the album that you love because everyone else hates it, there is always going to be complaints. With ‘Up all Night’, I believe that the band have taken risk with their flaky fans, being not instantly recognisable as Blink and not owning a chorus that sticks out like ‘All the Small Things’. What could be seen as picking up exactly from where they left off, only shows that the band have matured but have still managed to keep their hooks visible, even if it does take a few listens to sink in…

A very good and brave start from the Pop-Punk trio it seems, perhaps not the single choice I would choose for the first one off a new album but it works. After a few listens you will realise that indeed this band can still turn 4 chords to massive hits and therefore you will in fact be counting down the weeks to the release of the whole album.