When we first heard that Blink 182 members Tom, Mark, and Travis have collectively decided to take on an indefinite hiatus (read: break up) we can’t help but feel disappointed because we may be seeing the last of a great band. We all thought we’d never hear another good music from any of the three members until Tom announced his new band, Angels & Airwaves.
I guess, based on a personal perspective, no one actually expects to hear a decent, if not better, sound from the new band since we all knew how talented each member of the band are and that collectively, they create wonderful music. That thought was shattered when their Angels & Airwaves’ first album We Don’t Need to Whisper came out.
To start this critique of the album, let me say that Tom is an amazing musician and you can expect him to do magic regardless of what band he plays in. In each track of the album, Tom’s wonderful and powerful vocals shone through. Add to that the great performance of each instruments, you have a great track in your hands.
Since I don’t really expect the record to break barriers and knock me off my feet, it was surprising to hear a great album. It’s mix of good lyrics, strong guitars and percussion, nice rifts and arrangement, you are left with incredible music.
When he formed Angels & Airwaves, Tom DeLonge was able to take a more serious path when it comes to his music. Though there are still upbeat songs in the record, it cannot be identified as a Blink 182 song. The tracks on the record have Angels & Airwaves’ signature in them. They talk about hope, loss, war, love, and space. The songs also attempt to talk about the more serious topics in life. Over all, the album will not disappoint.
The band really showed their knack for playing the instruments in the album. They have placed a lot of importance in their intros. In one of the tracks, Valkyrie Missile, the intro ran 2 minutes and 40 seconds. Distraction had a 1 minute and 9 second intro. They carefully arranged the technical aspect of the songs. Their rifts are timed perfectly; the tempo doesn’t pick up until the time is ripe. The songs, whether slow- or quick-paced were meticulously composed.
The message of the whole album is what makes it very noteworthy. All the other elements, the lyrics, melody, rifts, and vocals all add up to make the message be heard loud and clear. In each song, you will feel the emotion behind Tom’s vocals. It will haunt you and hit home. The message is relayed through the lyrics, which at times, can be repetitive. The writing is good but not remarkable. Nevertheless, it still makes a good impact for the listener.
In summary, Angels & Airwaves has entered the music scene not as another band with a famous front man but as a band that creates good, memorable, and noteworthy music.