This is going to be a step into the past. With the recent news of Blink 182 announcing that they are putting aside their differences and getting the band back together, it seems like this CD review goes along with all the news. Although "Take Off Your Pants and Jacket" wasn't the most recent CD released by the band, I felt like choosing to write a review on it because back in June 2001 I was a young kid who wasn't impressed by the CD. I was 11 at the time, and I thouhght that this CD wasn't who Blink 182 was. I felt like they had "sold-out," but with the recent news of the band reuniting, I decided to take a step into my childhood years and give their CDs another listen. In the action of this process, I was surprised how my opinion on the CD, "Take Off Your Pants and Jacket," had changed.
I gave "Take Off Your Pants and Jacket," and I felt like I had taken a step back into the past of when I was young kid who idolized this band. I was amazed at how much I liked this CD. The 8 years that had passed by since my last listen of the CD, were years that I grew as a musician and learned how to like music for what it was. Now I don't care whether a band has changed their sound or developed it. I think that if a band writes a good song or CD, it should be recognized. Just because of a band's past sound doesn't mean that they aren't allowed to evolve with time.
Under this new perspective, I gave "Take Off Your Pants and Jacket" another listen. I listened for the things that mattered to me now, and that is how well a song is written and put together. Once I had given the CD a listen from this view, I realized that this CD is very well put together product. People may see Blink 182 as a band that doesn't have a lot of talent, but this CD can easily prove all of these assumptions wrong. From beginning to end, each song is great. Each song is catchy and perfect for the radio. A lot of the songs are about being young and all the things that teenagers can relate to, there is also a serious side with tracks like, "Stay Together for the Kids."
Although this CD contradicts with the band's original releases that were more just in the fast punk genre, it can't be denied that this CD is a very good product. The performances for all the instruments are very good. It isn't to say that the parts for each instrument are very complicated, but they get the job done. The production of the CD is equally good. How every song is structured works perfectly. The songs' harmonies fit well in their parts, the background vocals add texture in the ends a songs' chorus, and they even add underlying piano parts in a few songs. Although this goes against what the original Blink 182 fans would probably want, I feel that this CD should be recognized for how well it was put together.
I think that it is kind of funny that I'm saying this. Back when I was 11, I would have never pictured me liking this CD, but becoming more educated in music changed how I listen to and view a product of music.
Recommended Tracks: "Anthem Pt. 2," "Online Songs," "Stay Together for the Kids," "Please Take Me Home," and "Hold On."
