Maps of Music

Neighborhoods (2011)

Where the lyrics of Neighborhoods take you, and where it was really made.

A band that went on hiatus in 2005 made its first album in eight years with each member working in separate studios, and the title describes that split.

Key places

Recording at Opra Music Studios in Los Angeles (2011)

Recording site Motown Recording Studios — Opra Music Studios is listed in the release credits as a recording location for Neighborhoods. The album was recorded in Los Angeles and in San Diego. The point is set at the city centre, not at the studio building. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Recording at Neverpants Ranch in San Diego (2011)

Recording site Signature Sound — Neverpants Ranch is listed in the release credits as a recording location for Neighborhoods. The album's San Diego sessions took place at DeLonge's studio. The point is set at the city centre, not at the ranch. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Mixing at South Beach Studios in Miami Beach (2011)

Recording site South Beach (Miami) — The release credits list South Beach Studios as a mixing location for Neighborhoods. The point marks the studio's position in Miami Beach. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Album story

Overview

• Neighborhoods: sixth studio album by American rock band Blink-182
• First released in the UK and Europe on September 26, 2011, and a day later in the United States
• Released through DGC Records and Interscope
• Eight-year gap from the band's untitled album, the longest between two albums by the band to date
• Last studio album featuring founding member Tom DeLonge before his return on 2023's One More Time
• Recording lasted over two years
• Band self-produced the record after the death of longtime producer Jerry Finn

Background

• Blink-182 entered an indefinite hiatus in 2005 after internal tension
• Members explored side projects during the hiatus
• Two tragedies in late 2008 led to the reunion: Jerry Finn's death and a near-fatal plane crash involving Barker and DJ AM
• The reunion was decided in late 2008, with plans for a new album and tour
• The band first appeared together in nearly five years as presenters at the 51st Grammy Awards on February 8, 2009

Recording

• Demos began in 2009; four were completed, with 'Up All Night' nearly finished
• Sessions stalled during the summer 2009 reunion tour
• Barker toured with broken vertebrae during this period
• Recorded at DeLonge's studio in San Diego and in Los Angeles by Hoppus and Barker
• Instead of a producer, each member had a dedicated sound engineer
• Geffen set a July 31 deadline, with penalties for late delivery
• Hoppus played guitar on nearly all the songs featuring his lead vocals, though this was uncredited at first

Cover

• Artwork revealed August 4, 2011, with the band name written atop a city skyline
• Black and white design
• The sleeve includes names of people close to the band and a memorial to DJ AM

Sources: en.wikipedia.org · www.discogs.com

Tracklist

Sources: musicbrainz.org

Artist

Formation

• Formed in August 1992 in Poway, California, a northern suburb of San Diego County.
• Tom DeLonge was introduced to Mark Hoppus through Hoppus's sister Anne, and they first recorded with drummer Scott Raynor.
• Early releases came through independent label Cargo Records, with the debut Cheshire Cat in 1995 and Dude Ranch in 1997.
• The band was renamed 182 after a threat from an Irish band named Blink.

Members

• Mark Hoppus (bass, vocals) is the only member to have stayed in the band throughout its history.
• Tom DeLonge (guitar, vocals) left twice and returned in 2022.
• Travis Barker (drums) replaced Scott Raynor in 1998.
• Matt Skiba (guitar, vocals) was a member from 2015 to 2022.

Career

• Enema of the State (1999) reached over fifteen million copies sold worldwide and made the band major international stars.
• Take Off Your Pants and Jacket (2001) became the first punk rock album to reach number one in the U.S.
• The band announced an indefinite hiatus in 2005, and they reunited in 2009.
• California (2016) and Nine (2019) were recorded with Matt Skiba.
• One More Time... (2023) was released after DeLonge's return and became the band's third number-one album on the Billboard 200.
• Sales reportedly total 50 million albums worldwide.

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

Reception

At release

• Generally favorable reviews from critics, praising a darker, more mature sound and musical experimentation
• Some critics faulted the disjointed production and lack of cohesion
• Tom Goodwyn of NME hailed it as the band's best and 'bravely progressive'
• Chad Grischow of IGN regarded it as the band's most accomplished work
• Stephen Thomas Erlewine of AllMusic praised the band for facing familiar anxieties from middle age rather than recapturing adolescence
• Mark Sutherland of Kerrang! acknowledged its unevenness while praising its more inspired moments
• Scott Heisel of Alternative Press linked its lack of cohesion to the absence of an outside producer
• Kyle Anderson of Entertainment Weekly found its strongest moments overly indebted to past successes
• MTV News called it the 'bleakest thing Blink have ever done'

Reappraisal

• The New York Times called it a creative and commercial disappointment, while Spin described it as grandiloquent
• Billboard later characterized it as a 'largely forgotten' comeback attempt
• Paste praised its 'complicated, all-over-the-place alchemy'
• In 2021 DeLonge described it as 'rad', while acknowledging his ambitions for a U2-inspired arena sound may have exceeded his bandmates' comfort

Records

• Debuted at No. 2 on the Billboard 200 with 151,000 copies sold in its first week
• Fell to No. 10 in its second week on the Billboard 200
• Debuted at No. 6 on the UK Albums Chart
• Debuted at No. 2 in Canada and Australia, and peaked at No. 3 in New Zealand
• Certified gold in the United Kingdom for 100,000 units and in Australia for 35,000 copies
• 353,000 units sold in the US as of May 2016

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

Trivia

• 'Up All Night' is the album's oldest song, dating to just after the 2009 reunion, and the band kept returning to it, making it heavier each time
• 'Ghost on the Dance Floor' opens the album and is about hearing a song shared with someone who has died
• The album leaked two weeks before its release despite very high security
• Geffen's July 31 deadline carried penalties for late delivery, and DeLonge joked they might hand the record through the Geffen president's bedroom window
• 'Wishing Well' was written solely by DeLonge, and Hoppus called it the epitome of the album
• Hoppus recorded all the guitars on 'MH 4.18.2011' without DeLonge's involvement

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

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