Enema of the State, is the third album from Southern California punk rock band, Blink-182. I grew up with some of their songs, mainly the two lead singles of this album. This album turned 25 years old back in June, and I was looking forward to reviewing it, as it’s probably Blink’s most well-known and highly regarded album. The band members include, bassist and vocalist Mark Hoppus, guitarist and vocalist Tom DeLonge, and drummer Travis Barker. I remember as a kid I always wanted to rent this album at my local library, because it had a sexy nurse on the cover, but my dad smartly said no. I have a fondness for pop-punk, which is primarily the genre showcased on this album. 

   I will start by saying this album has a very distinct sound, one that inspired future artists in the genre. When I try and think of a term for this sound, I come up with, “surfer punk.” It has a punk sound, but also sounds like the soundtrack to a surfing highlight compilation. And I gotta say I absolutely love it. The first track, “Dumpweed,” has a skate punk sound like much of the album, and the topic is about a crazy girlfriend who’s a complete nightmare to deal with. Hoppus wants to leave the relationship but is also afraid of being alone. Sure the whole “training her,” like she’s a dog comes off pretty bad, but as a song it’s a strong opener. “Don’t Leave Me,” is another romantic track, and the title pretty much illustrates what the song is about. It’s not terrible, but it’s not one of my favorites on the album. “Aliens Exist,” is one of my favorite tracks off of the album. I love the guitar riffs from DeLonge, and crashing drums from Barker. The topic is fascination with extraterrestrials, and DeLonge actually has had a real-life fascination with aliens ever since he was a kid, so it makes this song extra special for me, as I share that interest. “Going Away to College,” is a track about homesickness, specifically that feeling on Valentine’s Day. It’s a heartfelt track, and incredibly relatable, so it’s definitely a highlight. Hoppus is apparently the only member of the band to have gone to college, but he left, because it just wasn’t interesting to him. Next up, we have another single, and favorite of mine off of the album, “What’s My Age Again?” I love the themes of the track, which discuss being immature as an adult. In the song, we hear the story of a protagonist who’s 23 but acts like a kid. He’s a prankster and jokes around and it annoys people, so he questions his maturity. “What the hell is ADHD? My friends say I should act my age. What’s my age again?” It’s another track that’s very easy to connect to. The guitar riffs in this song are easily my favorite off the album, and overall it’s just a pop-punk classic. “Dysentery Gary,” is a track, which according to DeLonge’s Genius annotation, is a track about unrequited love. Being dumped is something that really sucks, and while this song gives off a goofy vibe at times, it feels genuine. “Adam’s Song,” is a really sad song as it comes from the perspective of a teenage boy’s suicide note. It’s a song that is one of the most well-written on the album, with the lines : I never thought I’d die alone. Another six months, I’ll be unknown. Give all my things to all my friends. You’ll never step foot in my room again. You’ll close it off, board it up. Remember the time that I spilled the cup of apple juice in the hall. Please tell Mom this is not her fault.” Thankfully the boy doesn’t go through with it, as at the end he speaks in the present tense. In Mark’s own words he said about the track, “At the end of it there’s a better way out, there are better things to do than kill yourself.” A strong track. “All the Small Things,” is another great single off of the album, “All the Small Things.” DeLonge wrote this track about his future wife Jenna Jenkins, and while it’s pretty simple lyrically and instrumentally, it’s still a classic. Some other highlights on this album for me were, “The Party Song,” “Mutt,” and “Wendy Clear.”

    To conclude, Enema of the State is one of the strongest rock albums to close the 20th century off. I love the vibe of this album, whether it be the infectious punk guitar riffs from Tom DeLonge, or the thrashing drum rhythms from Travis Barker. In addition, the tracks aren’t too long and while some may have a similar guitar rhythm or lyrical theme, they each sound unique to themselves, while also being cohesive in the grand scheme of the album. I will say that the last few tracks of the album are a bit weaker than the rest of the record, though. Still, 25 years later, this album still holds up very well, and its influence on future pop-punk groups, is clear as day.

Overall Score: 8/10

Favorite Tracks: “Dumpweed,” “Aliens Exist,” “Going Away to College,” “What’s My Age Again,” “Adam’s Song,” “All the Small Things,”

Least Favorite Tracks: Don’t Leave Me

Listen: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BsnddlzfV3A

Genres: Pop Punk, Skate Punk