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Some may speculate that the rock that permeated the late 90s is gone forever.
Other fans feel that it has just undergone mutation, much like the rock of the 80s and 70s has shifted into modern rock.
Regardless of one’s stance in the debate, it’s easy to find the bands that were so popular during the 90s creating new music and new names for themselves.
One of those prominent bands is Blink-182. Singers Mark Hoppus and Tom DeLonge were the voices of the band that fused punk, grunge and 90s alternative to create one legendary image.
After the rise and fall of the 90s, though, the band began fading from glory and took on eventual hiatus.
Soon after, DeLonge started a new group, Angels and Airwaves that produced a smash-hit single, “The Adventure.”
With signature vocals and unique guitar harmonics, the band was a complete change from its Blink-182 roots.
The way DeLonge applied his voice to the emotionally-built Angels and Airwaves was a drastic change from his earlier years.
The rest of Blink-182 has now formed to create +44, a continuation of Blink-182, but led only by singer Mark Hoppus.
The group’s debut CD When Your Heart Stops Beating is definitely a treat for Blink-182 fans but poses the question: is there room in today’s music world for another Blink-182?
Some may speculate that Blink followed the 90s wave of alternative and punk and belongs in archived history.
With the growing amount of emo-based bands and eclectic groups, it’s hard to see if a band like +44 has a crowd to please.
Nevertheless, the group’s first album is worth a listen.
The CD starts with “Lycanthrope.” The track features the hard-hitting guitars that made Blink-182 so popular.
Throw in the famous vocals of Hoppus and you feel as if you’re listening to the Blink everyone once knew and loved.
Slight differences can be heard, though as the song uses more traditional chords and slower chorus progressions compared to Blink-182’s fast-paced punk style.
“Baby Come Home” is a unique track that slows the pace of the album initially with a very harmonic guitar melody.
Progressing through the song, one will find some unique guitar sounds in addition to the traditional power chords.
The addition of such gives a stylistic touch to what would be just another power-rock song.
The track is bound to be another single, but may not convince non-Blink fans to join the following.
After “Baby Come Home” is +44’s first studio-released single and title track “When Your Heart Stops Beating.”
It’s easy to admit at first: the initial sound of the song doesn’t sound like anything a post-Blink-182 band could produce.
The guitar effects and drum beats are catchy, and the music really does sound like something a brand-new band would create.
The only downside comes during start of Hoppus’ vocals.
Long-term fans of the singer will find that “When Your Heart Stops Beating” expresses the singer’s everlasting talent that brought the angst-filled Blink-182 to stardom.
Unfortunately, his talent doesn’t seem to have matured nor grown over the years.
The single is definitely worth the reputation, but only in comparison to previous Blink-182 material.
Shouldn’t bands formed from breakups produce new material? Listeners will clearly be the judges.
“Little Death” is yet another example of this mere band name change rather than tone transformation.
The song is emotional, catchy and hard-hitting yet predictable.
Songs about high school sweethearts and troublesome teen years only retain interest for so long.
Fans of Blink-182 will not be disappointed, but new fans may have to listen to the track a couple of times to gain full appreciation.
Thankfully, “155” changes the pace of the album.
A catchy-sounding effect starts the track and leads into some very harmonic guitar sections where traditional chord-hammering no longer occurs.
Unlike the previous tracks on the album, “155” doesn’t include vocals that seem to take over the entire song.
Instead, they are integrated into the music and create a marvelous and unexpected song.
“Lillan” is another winner with an acoustic melody able to compete against many of the softer rock bands today.
Other winners include “Weatherman” and “Make You Smile.”
Weatherman develops a song full of soft drumming and calm vocals.
“Make You Smile” even includes a guest singer, a rare treat for Blink-182 and non-Blink fans alike.
Overall, it’s really difficult to judge a new band based on its roots. It’s obvious that newly created bands will have leftover talents and styles from previous projects.
Unfortunately, +44 doesn’t seem to have grown out of old habits. The band may feature some new faces, but Mark Hoppus’ lyrics of teenage years during the 1990s are an old trend.
New bands are moving toward the unknown with unusual styles of music rather than the traditional power punk of the late 90s.
Blink-182 fans will no doubt find comfort in When Your Heart Stops Beating, but new fans might be turned away by the traditional style of music that seems to have ended with the onset of a new decade.
