To The Stars... Demos, Odds, and Ends / Tom DeLonge

The anticipation for Tom DeLonge's solo album came to an end on Monday, April 20 when "To The Stars... Demos, Odds, and Ends" was released through DeLonge's multimedia company titled To The Stars. The album consists of eight songs, some of which DeLonge admitted to be demos for blink-182. Personally, I was nervous to find out what DeLonge had produced, even though I knew I would love it like I love all of his projects. The eight songs are diverse in sound, and I almost feel like the listeners got cheated. Quantity-wise, it isn't much of an album as much as it is a long EP, including one instrumental song and two songs that barely scrape the two minute mark. However, what it lacks in quantity makes up in quality. I hear influences from both of DeLonge's two major bands - blink-182 and Angels & Airwaves. The techno/spacey vibes can be heard in "New World" and the instrumental "Landscapes" while there are heavy blink tones in "Circle-Jerk-Pit" and especially "Golden Showers in the Golden State." I'll be honest and admit this isn't my favorite album that DeLonge has worked on, but this and his reactions towards the situation with blink-182 gave an interesting perspective on his talent and future in the band.

The album begins with the first song DeLonge released around a month ago with a music video titled "New World." The vocals come off as pristine, and I only wish that DeLonge could take the emotion and clarity of his vocals in the studio and bring them to the stage. Like I will mention when I get to "The Invisible Parade," I enjoyed this song more when I wasn't watching the music video. I'm still quite confused on the message DeLonge was trying to get across as he smashed a guitar, drum set and other instruments. The reason I claim to believe this is more of an AvA song is because of the guitar in particular. DeLonge has a different style playing guitar in AvA compared to blink, but I'm not quite sure how to explain it.

"An Endless Summer" is one of my favorite tracks on the album. The intro captures your attention, and the synths carry DeLonge's style of recording. The chorus is easy to catch on to with carefree yet meaningful lyrics. The drums tend to be disguised in the background, and I can't help but to be curious on what Travis Barker could have brought to the table for this song in particular.

"Suburban Kings" is much like a sequel to "Rite of Spring" (one of my favorite AvA songs) on AvA's album "I-Empire." DeLonge refers to himself in third person ("Tommy") in the first and second verses that offered a look into the musician's life. Mother's got a thing for praying, but God is going to hate my band. Tommy wants a life of purpose, Tommy has some dreams to plan. The backing vocals during the pre-chorus are one of my favorite parts because it helps build up the actual chorus which gives the song an anthem quality.

It isn't too often that fans get an acoustic song from DeLonge. "The Invisible Parade" is a song dedicated to DeLonge's brother, a Navy lieutenant who served in Iraq. The song carries heavy lyrics that talk about war beginning and ending and then finally coming home, all told from a soldier's perspective. DeLonge's voice is more subdued, and his unique accent in his vocals are last profound which add to the seriousness of the tune. I find this song the most soothing on the album, and I can probably listen to it for hours. Much like "New World," I would much rather listen to this song by itself than watch DeLonge walk by himself in the street and abandon areas with his broken guitar like he does in the music video.

The deep lyrics and acoustic guitar are ditched for the most punk song on the album - "Circle-Jerk-Pit." It wasn't a favorite to begin with, but it ended up growing on me. There's a shift at the 1:15 mark where the loud, shouting vocals are changed to a more sing-songy tone which then changes back to a loud repetition of Are you ready?! Whatcha gonna do?! As soon as I heard this song, the first thing I thought of was "My First Punk Song" by Box Car Racer (another DeLonge side project in the early 2000s). The guitar and the vocals in the beginning are almost identical - the main feature that distinguishes "Circle-Jerk-Pit" is towards the second half of the song when the tone of the vocals change.

The album once again transitions into something softer with "Landscapes" that reminds me of a beginning or ending to AvA's "Love" albums. There is some talking going on behind the synths and the "space-y" sounds, but it isn't very clear what he is saying. I feel like this is definitely one of the "Odds and Ends" that didn't make an AvA album cut.


From what reviews of the album I have read so far, "Animals" is probably the most underrated out of the eight songs. The song begins with a quiet I can run, but I can't hide spoken lyric. It sounds like DeLonge included a three layers of vocals in the chorus which adds to this misty, light atmosphere the song seems to contain. The synths are also unique in this song, adding some special quality that separates "Animals" from the others.

DeLonge hinting at a new song in March 2013
which turned out to be "Golden Showers in the
Golden State."

The album wouldn't be complete without a song from DeLonge showing his timeless humor. This was without a doubt a song meant for blink. "Golden Showers in the Golden State" features DeLonge's classic jokes, but the chorus is one of the catchiest choruses on the album - especially when DeLonge's vocals peak when he sings CalifORNia. The guitar and drums are fun and upbeat, a great finish to the album. (Fun fact: DeLonge actually posted a sneak peak of the lyrics to this song on his Instagram in March 2013.)







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I have been living and breathing this album since the second it dropped. I've always admired Tom as a performer and musician. I know there has been a whirlwind of drama with blink, but I hope Tom never stops making music (actually I tweeted something similar to this, which we favorited and made me a very happy person). I'm looking forward to the future and what it holds for Tom and blink-182.


Until next time,
Nikole

Sunday's Seven Songs (March 1)

Today's weather is absolutely perfect, despite the clouds taunting me with no rain. The day's not over yet so I'm still crossing my fingers for a storm.

Changing subjects, Tom Delonge announced more information on his new album - "Demos, Odds and Ends." The album is set to be released on April 21. I was disappointed because he kept talking about March 1 so I thought the album was going to be released today. There are a few snippets in the video introducing the album and the sound seems really promising. I don't know how I couldn't love it though. The only thing that makes it less great is that it is neither Blink 182 nor Angels & Airwaves (however, it is AvA's label). Tom kind of led people on to believe that the album would be streamed so he got a spew of negative comments from people saying that they refuse to "give him anymore money" and stuff like that. I never considered him streaming the album since he is so adamantly against the idea of streaming. The first song from the album is supposed to be available on March 9, followed by a second song on March 23, a third song on April 6, then the full album on April 21. For more information on the album, go to tomdelonge.me .

After weeks of Netflix binging, I was able to catch up to the finale of Parks and Recreation. I can definitely say that it is one of the best shows I have seen. There was never a lull in the plot and it makes you laugh at the dumbest things at times. I can't imagine a better finale for the show - every loose end was tied up and you were left not needing any more. I will miss Pawnee and the awesome people in the Parks department. Since finishing the show, I've decided to try to cut back on Netflix (gasp). Instead, I decided to start reading again. AP Lit has caused me to sort of resent reading because I am not fond of the selections, so I decided I'm just going to make some time to read what I want to. I finally finished The Maze Runner and, while it had it's slow parts, it was a great story with an ending that made you wanting more (thankfully, there is a sequel). Next, I decided to start reading the Divergent series. I got hooked the second I started reading. I finished the first book, all 500ish pages, in three or four days. Now I'm on the second installment of the series, Insurgent, which is supposed to come out in theaters this month.

On a side note, I've also been listening to Jack and Alex's (of All Time Low) podcast, "Full Frontal." I am not a big podcast listener because it usually can't keep my attention. Jack and Alex are hilarious though. My favorite parts of their episodes are when they talk about what they are doing on tour and their music segment. It's great to listen to how much music means to them and their takes on different artists.

Okay, I know this is a longer intro than usual, but I felt like talking about what's been going on. Instead of listing seven songs that I have listened to this week, I am putting my music library on shuffle and listing the first seven songs that appear.



1) Enthused by Blink 182
This song comes from Blink's "Dude Ranch" album that debuted in 1997. Eighteen years old. This album captures so much of what early Blink was - three kids just out of high school, playing music and having fun. It shows the stupid humor that surrounded the band. At this time, Scott Raynor (not Travis Barker) was on drums. Most of the songs, like Enthused, are pretty short and emphasized with loud guitar riffs and Tom's unique vocals. The most well known songs to come out of this album are Pathetic, Dammit, and Josie (one of my favorite songs).

2) Listener (Acoustic) by The Technicolors
Only about a month left until I see these guys open for The Maine! The acoustic version of this song, which is also the title of the album, makes me crave rain even more. It's the kind of music that makes me want to go to a coffee shop, watch the rain, and read or something else that's pretty laid back. The vocals are simple and quiet for the most part, giving the song almost a lullaby quality.

3) Drunk (Cover) by 5 Seconds of Summer
Even though they are a huge band now (currently performing to giant crowds all the way in Japan), I have every one of their covers still on my phone. It's a nice reminder that they went from doing small covers of their favorite artists to selling out arenas (and also getting recognized by those same artists years later). This particular cover is by Calum Hood, and I almost forgot how much his voice has improved (even though it was still great then) and how much confidence he has gained since recording this.

4) American Idiot (Live Cover) by 5 Seconds of Summer
I am not even surprised that 5SOS came up twice. This is without a doubt my favorite cover from them. It captures the real sound that they are meant for (and hopefully the sound that they are leaning towards in their next album). Even though their covers of What I Like About You and Teenage Dream were great songs for a live performance, their cover of American Idiot just seems to fit so much better. Maybe that's because Green Day were the ones to really invent pop punk. They sound like they are having the time of their lives during this live cover. I still can't believe I got to see them perform it live back in November.

5) That Girl by All Time Low
It seems like people either love or hate "Dirty Work." I have seen comments leaning both ways, but never in the middle. I am definitely one of the people who loves it. I love that I can still hear the same energy in All Time Low's music since their first EP to their latest single. This is a song that is definitely meant for turning up the volume as high as it can go and shouting the lyrics. The sound and rhythm and beat of the songs is so catchy, you can't help singing along.

6) Ready to Run by One Direction
I used to refer to One Direction as a guilty pleasure, but I don't know why I have to be guilty for liking them. Their music is upbeat and carries a lot of energy in it. This song is from their latest album, "Four," which the group actually had a hand in the songwriting (which I was relieved to find out). I love that the song is relatively fast, yet it still has a very recognizable acoustic guitar in the chorus.

7) Berzerk by Eminem
Well, this is very different from the other songs. Hearing this song instantly makes me think of road tripping to California with my best friend and turning up the music and acting a lot cooler than we really are. How could you not get into this song? The chorus is easy enough to learn quickly and before you know it, you know all the words.


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I almost forgot that today is the first day of a new month. February felt like a brutally long 28 days despite being the shortest month. Here are a few things are coming up in March:

March 13, 14, 15 - Pot of Gold Festival (including Fall Out Boy!!)
March 17 - Sleeping with Sirens new album, "Madness"
March 22 - MUSINK FESTIVAL WITH BLINK 182 FT MATT SKIBA

March 31 - The Maine's new album, "American Candy"

You could probably tell which I am most excited for. It has been three and a half years since I last saw Blink 182 during the Honda Civic Tour. Only three weeks from today and I will be seeing them. I still can't really believe it's going to happen.

Anyways, that is all for Sunday's Seven Songs (and a kind of long update on other things).


Until next time,
Nikole xx

Sunday's Seven Songs (Week Two)

Happy first day of the month! First of all, I have to acknowledge that today was the Super Bowl. I'm not really a football fan, so I wasn't that passionate about who won or lost. Anyways, a big congrats to the New England Patriots. They came back from losing by 10 points in the fourth quarter so, needless to say, it was an exciting finish.

On Friday night I went to the Super Bowl party in downtown Phoenix where The Technicolors and Walk the Moon put on amazing performances. I've kind of been obsessed with The Technicolors this week. I recently discovered them and I am so happy I did because I enjoyed their show much more than I would have and I get to see them again on April 3 when they tour with The Maine! The music I listened to this week was also influenced by the Blink-182 drama that has been going on since Monday and has continued to escalate. I blogged about some of the situation in my last post but a lot has happened since then so it really isn't that up to date. In other big news, I got tickets to see Blink-182 featuring Matt Skiba on March 22 at the Musink Festival!

With that said, here are my seven songs for the week:


1) Sweet Time by The Technicolors

I can't believe I just now discovered this band. You know that feeling where you are trying to figure out what you want to listen to, but you can't find that one song/album/artist that fits what you're looking for? There's probably a better way to word that. Anyways, this is that band for me. The way that Brennan Smiley's voice (which my dad described as a cross between Led Zeppelin and the lead singer from Stone Temple Pilots) is perfectly reflected in the instruments and the lyrics is just what I was looking for. The music is very relaxing and calming, and also comforting in a way. The album "Listener" came out in 2012 and the band is expected to release some new music this year. Their show at the Super Bowl party was great and they didn't disappoint. I can't wait to see them again on The American Candy Tour.

2) What Went Wrong by Blink-182

The title itself sums up the reason why I am listening to this song. This entire Blink-182 mess has me constantly thinking What went wrong?? Mark, Tom and Travis were best friends. Especially Mark and Tom who have known each other since high school. I watched their show at Big Day Out in Australian in 2000 (my favorite show of theirs) and it's amazing how so much can happen between then and now (granted that things really started falling apart only a few years later during their first split). I love this song because 1) it's from my favorite album (Take Off Your Pants and Jacket) and 2) it's a "secret" song. It's not something you can buy on iTunes. It was originally released as a bonus song on the hard copy album. It's an acoustic song and you can start to hear how the band was drifting towards a more serious tone in this album. Anyways, I love this band. To see them argue publicly like they are doing now tears me apart.

3) Not Now by Blink-182

Usually I'm going to try not to repeat an artist on the same post in my Sunday songs, but this is an exception. The main reason I chose this song was for the music video. It flashes back to some of the most memorable times in Blink-182 history and the song itself is meaningful. This was released as a single not attached to any other album and I like it that way because it stands out. Despite the drama that is happening now, the song comforts me because I'm reminded that whatever happens to the band, the music they've recorded and the shows they played will last forever.

4) There Is by Box Car Racer

Box Car Racer is a band composed of Tom Delonge and Travis Barker of Blink-182 along with guitarist David Kennedy. The band was active between 2001-2003 which marked the years leading to Blink's first breakup. Box Car Racer just might be my favorite Blink side project. The lyrics are meaningful and the songs are packed with emotion. The music video is also worth watching because the emotion of the song is emphasized by looking at the band perform outside in the rain, seeing the expression on Tom's face and the story line that goes along with the video. Also, out of every artist I have ever heard, Tom's voice is honestly my favorite. I can't explain exactly why it is, it just is. And this song, like "Not Now," is comforting. The thought that you aren't alone in how you feel and that you can still find hope.

5) Little Death by +44

+44 is made up of Mark Hoppus and Travis Barker along with guitarists Shane Gallagher and Craig Fairbaugh. They were active between 2005-2009 during the Blink haitus. Mark commented that he will never consider +44 as being "done." Their entire album (they only had one) is mostly filled with sadness and I can't help but think it was largely influenced by the Blink break up. It's nice to hear more of what Mark is capable of vocally because he tends to stick to one sound (vocal range?) in Blink. The song feels like it has a deeper meaning than what I understand it as which is really what makes the album unique. There are a lot of songs out there where they seem pretty easy to decode, but that isn't the case with +44.

6) Everything's Magic by Angels & Airwaves

I've already had one post dedicated to this band and their most recent album, but as a recap, the band was started by Tom DeLonge and is one of the huge reasons he has been less committed to Blink. This song is featured in my favorite AvA album, "I-Empire," and is definitely in my top 3 AvA songs. Like "There Is" and "Not Now," the song is really uplifting. It has the same theme of "you're not alone" within the lyrics. It's one of those songs that can instantly lift my mood. I can remember the first time hearing this song and I instantly knew that this is a song that I will never get tired of.

7) Bleeding Out by Imagine Dragons

Yesterday I watched the new movie, "Project Almanac," and it was by far one of the best new movies I have seen in awhile. The reason I bring it up is because the soundtrack is probably 99 percent Imagine Dragons, including songs from their new album that debuts later this month. It got me thinking about their first album in 2012 and how much I loved it when it first came out. Hearing the new songs in the movie created some high expectations for "Smoke + Mirrors." (On a side note, I highly recommend seeing Project Almanac. You get totally absorbed in the movie and forget about everything else. Also, the actors are all new - no one famous - and they did an amazing job for their first big break.)

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I was worried that I was going to slack on the Sunday songs, and I'm glad to find out I'm not. I know this is only the second week, but I'm really happy with this weekly post idea. Again, if you have any song suggestions, leave them in the comments and I will check them out. Or if you listened to any of the songs I mentioned, you should let me know what you think of them.

Anyways, I wish everyone a good week.


Until next time,

Nikole xx

Blink-182 Lives On

Let's start with what we know for sure first.

Mark Hoppus and Travis Barker announced earlier today that Tom DeLonge "indefinitely" left the band and Matt Skiba of Alkaline Trio will replace him for an upcoming show at the Misink Festival in March. Twitter erupted in chaos. It was 2004 all over again. Theories of a breakup and angry questions thrown at DeLonge were everywhere. Just a couple of short hours later, DeLonge posted an update on Instagram that read:

To all the fans, I never quit the band. I actually was on a phone call

about a blink 182 event for New York City at the time all these weird

press releases started coming in... Apparently those releases were 

'sanctioned' from the band. Are we dysfunctional - yes. But, Christ.....

#Awkward #BabyBackRibs

About two hours ago, Rolling Stone released a new interview with Hoppus and Barker clearing up all the rumors. Hoppus even tweeted a link to the interview saying "This is the real deal." In summary, Hoppus and Barker explain that Blink-182 have been trying for the last two years to get in the recording studio to work on a new album. On Christmas Eve, the three of them signed a new record deal. Things were looking up for the band until over time Delonge distanced himself.

There's a flurry of e-mails going back and forth for clarification about

the recording and the show and [DeLonge's] manager sends [an e-mail]

back saying, "Tom. Is. Out." Direct quote. This is the exact same e-mail we

got back in 2004 when Tom went on indefinite hiatus before. -Hoppus

The fans could see that the band wasn't doing that great. We've been hanging around since December 2012 (September 2011 since their last full album) for a taste of something new, but we've been left with nothing. It's not that the band left without saying goodbye. It was obvious to see who was and wasn't dedicated to the band just by looking at the time they saved to go to a studio or what they posted on social media. 

It's hard to cover for someone who's disrespectful and ungrateful.

You don't even have the balls to call your bandmates and tell them

you're not going to record or do anything Blink-related. You have

your manager do it.... Why Blink even got back together in the first 

place [after the first hiatus] is questionable. -Barker

Everyone knows that when Travis speaks up, things are serious. When I first heard all of this news, I couldn't see how Blink-182 could continue. That was before I realized just how committed Hoppus and Barker are to keep the Blink legacy going. If they are this willing to keep going, keep recording, keep playing, then there is no way in hell that I could ever stop supporting this band. Blink-182 means more to me in more ways than I can even explain. There has never been nor will there ever be a band that could be compared to Blink. They began my love for music which I will someday combine with journalism to make a career. I don't know who I would've become or where I would be today if my dad hadn't started playing "What's My Age Again?" or "All the Small Things" during car rides. That may sound dramatic, but we all have that something that means so much to us that we just can't find the right words to explain how it makes us feel. 

I just want to go out and play Blink songs. I want to go out

and play the songs that we've been spending the last 20 years

of our lives writing. That's what Travis and I want to do. -Hoppus

Reading that Rolling Stone article brought up so many mixed feelings. I'm overcome with pride towards Hoppus and Barker that they have finally decided to say something about the matter and directly confront DeLonge in a way that he can't ignore. Also, the fact that they want to continue doing Blink. There are no words to describe how much that means to a fan. We all saw an ending coming, but (for me at least) this has the chance to become a happy ending. Blink-182 is not over. On the other hand, I am overwhelming disappointed in DeLonge. I understand that he has other projects that he may be more committed to, but he could have at least had the decency to directly tell not just his bandmates, but his friends, what the situation was. Mark and Tom have known each other since high school. I don't know any of them personally and I may just be a fan, but I am pretty confident that Mark and Travis deserved better than this. There was no need for his manager to speak for him. Then he posts on Instagram talking about how everything is fine when that entire statement was just one huge lie. Even in the Alternative Press magazine, only Tom was quoted and he directly said that Blink-182 were going to get an album out this year. He just failed to mention that Blink did not include him anymore. 

I just wish Tom does whatever makes him happy and stops

holding back Blink-182 from what we all agree that we're going

to do: play shows, record music, continue this legacy and have

a good time doing it. -Hoppus

To Mark and Travis: I will never stop being a fan of Blink-182 and I could never stop supporting you guys. I wish you and Matt Skiba the best of luck at Musink and I hope I get the chance to get tickets and see you guys. 'Thank you' isn't enough to express how grateful I am that Blink-182 is not dead. Let's continue the legacy.

Long Live Blink, 

Nikole xx

(*I understand that there is Tom's side of the story. Even on Twitter and Instagram, a lot of people have been picking 'sides.' After this Rolling Stone release, I felt I understood more of the situation and it explained a lot of questions I had about the band during the last two years. As far as I know, Tom hasn't released any official statement other than his Instagram post. 

**All of the quotes I used besides Tom's came from the Rolling Stone article which can be found at http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/blink-182s-hoppus-barker-blast-ungrateful-disingenuous-tom-delonge-20150126 )

The Dream Walker - Angels & Airwaves

It's been three years since we last heard new music from Angels & Airwaves and they have officially broken their silence. AvA released their fourth studio album, "The Dream Walker," today. AvA is most well-known because of frontman Tom DeLonge, who is guitarist/vocalist of Blink 182. The album is only one-fifth of a multimedia project that includes a short film, novel, comic books, and a graphic novel that follows the journeys of a Dream Walker named Poet Anderson. The short film recently won the Best Animated Short Film Award at the Toronto International Short Film Festival and the album is currently #1 in seven countries.

AvA have always been a band driven by spacey synth sounds and DeLonge's recognizable drawl and this album isn't much different. The album opens with a piano and synth introduction in "Teenagers & Rituals." The blur of time and dates, that a drink or 2, or 3 relieve. I'm not sure if I can get into analyzing the lyrics because DeLonge can be a complicated guy. The first time I heard this song (just under 12 hours ago) I was happy and relieved. I didn't want AvA to dive deep into the use of synths that drown out the vocals and guitars (like the singles, "Paralyzed" and "The Wolfpack") and I wasn't disappointed.

"Paralyzed" and "The Wolfpack" were the two singles of the album and, to be honest, they didn't set my expectations very high. I just wasn't a fan of the sound. The lyrics were thoughtful and deep like many AvA songs, but I couldn't hear them because the synths were too overpowering. If I had to pick, I would say "Paralyzed" is my favorite of the two because it has a catchy chorus and beat. The only music video so far is for "The Wolfpack" and it had nothing to do with how I interpreted the song. Full of animal masks and confused looking people, it was just overall hard to follow. The intro definitely emphasizes the spacey feeling. After looking up the lyrics, I gained a greater respect for each song because DeLonge is truly a lyrical genius. I'm not saying that I don't like these songs since you can still find me singing along to every word, they just weren't my favorite.

DeLonge wrote a lengthy interpretation of "Tunnels" on Facebook that greatly helped how I was able to listen and understand the song. He wrote the verses years ago, which explains why the sound resembles something a little older than the rest of the album. DeLonge stated on his Facebook that he wrote the verses based on a paranormal experience where he woke up and felt his late father's presence. Then two years later, he wrote the chorus about how "something beautiful and epic is on the other side." I'd thank God, but then what is he for? Because I left a few calls at his front door, I'll leave more. I love the high guitar motif in the background - it especially stands out when DeLonge takes a breath and transitions into the next verse/chorus. The last few verses that end with "when you die" is kind of chilling, but like DeLonge said, "there is something beautiful and epic" waiting. Bringing in some religious ideas and even mentioning God is a rare moment in the songs DeLonge writes which is how they seem to pack a bigger meaning.

After a one minute intro of synths, DeLonge breaks out into a fast-paced song, "Mercenaries." The vocals are strained differently which makes the song stand out to me. I feel kind of hypocritical because in a way this song resembles the two singles, yet I really I love this song. When you feel alone, here's a little hand, and a thought 'cause you were on my mind. I've watched countless videos of DeLonge perform (from Blink 182 to AvA to Box Car Racer) and I can tell - if AvA decides to tour - that this will be an amazing song live. I have a picture of what it would look like and I hope it becomes reality one day (even though I'm against the idea of DeLonge performing without a guitar like he usually does with AvA - it just doesn't look natural). Another song that shows a different strain of the vocals and a different energy is "Bullets in the Wind" which I also believe will be a great song to see performed live.

I might have saved the best for last. I don't want to say it's my favorite, because all of the songs are great for their own reasons, but this song I did put on repeat for a few times during the day. "Anomaly" is a very rare kind of AvA song and I'm grateful. The only song I can relate to this is the acoustic version of "The Gift" that is at the end of their first album, "I-Empire." The intro also reminds me of the start of Blink 182's "Boxing Day" - it's a very slowed down, quieter version of the same guitar riffs. I never wanted to say how much I liked you, I never wanted to be one of your sad discoveries. Maybe one of the reasons I love this song is because the lyrics seem relatable. It's a love song, nothing more, nothing less. I never wanted to coast, always wanted to be an anomaly. It's such an unexpected sound from this band. There's no synth whatsoever. It's a perfect ending to the album that parallels the ending of 2007's "I-Empire." My girl, I think I'm in love, it's the scariest place to be alive.

I did leave a few songs out, but I wanted to talk about the few that have stood out to me in the 12 hours that this album has been out. I know I'll probably interpret these songs a bit differently after I see the other adaptions of Poet Anderson's story, but I wanted to get my thoughts about just the album down first. This album only confirmed that DeLonge's voice is possible my favorite voice I have ever heard (which is saying something). There's nothing like it. As much as I love AvA and their current success, I hope DeLonge gets back in the studio with Blink 182 again soon.


xx Nikole