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When Blink 182 came crashing into chart success and mainstream popularity in 1999 with their album “Enema of the State,” they instantly became a mega hit. Their fun music with catchy pop songs with a rock edge such as “What’s my again” and “All the small things” had become an overnight sensation. At the time it seemed that the group was all about fun and not taking anything serious, for the most part this was true, but along the way they did manage to track some serious songs such as “Adams Song” and others dealing with the other side of being a teenager. The group collectively had three different styles internally and were individually three different people, Mark, Tom, and Travis. As the new millennium continued the group started to break up, and in 2005 announced an “indefinite hiatus.” They cited they were all going to try different things and focus on family and then regroup if it was meant to happen.

Tom decided to continue making music through this process, releasing an album for the group “Boxcar Racer,” and also prepared for a new project titled “Angels and Airwaves” in 2006. Meanwhile, Travis Barker had been seeing some success alongside his new band “The Transplants” as well as being the subject of an Mtv Reality show about his life with former wife Shana and family titled “Meet The Barkers.” After production on the show wrapped Travis announced a split with his wife and also the formation of a new band titled +44. +44 is a group consisting of former Blink 182 front man Mark Hoppus, Travis Barker, Craig Fairbaugh (of the transplants) and lead guitarist Shane Gallagher (of The Nervous Return).

On November 14th , Under the name +44, based off the international calling code for the UK, the group released their debut album “When Your Heart Stops Beating”. The album contains 13 tracks of some of the best material to ever come out of the Hoppus-Barker braintrust. Starting from the break up of Blink 182 and the life journey endured throughout the time off, the split of relationships and the loss of friendships, it is all put together to make this album literally the very blood-product and heart of the group poured out into musical form, the outcome “When Your Stops Beating.”

Released on Interscope Records, recorded with a live band, this album is literally one of the best rock albums in years. Undoubtedly fans of Blink 182 will be expecting an album similar to the antics that made Blink 182 the funny guys of rock, however if that is what you are looking for, your about 5 years to late. The album features a more mature sounding Hoppus at the top of his game, with catchy lyrics similar to his early Blink career however with much more passion and meaning.

As is the trend with all modern rock music, the group has a style driven by a lot of emotion and passion. However, they aren’t as bad offenders as say Tom Delong’s “Angels and Airwaves.” They literally combine elements of great mature rock with the California sun baked sound of former project Blink 182.

A perfect example of this is in the sixth track titled “Little Death”, featuring great rock driven guitar accompanied by a knockout combination of vocals and personal lyrics describing the feeling of wanting to make an impact “sleep sleep my darling sleep, your car crash in slow motion won’t upset the pace of different stars.” This song alone shows the direction and growth in maturity of this all new group.

Another powerful track on the album is the lovelorn “Make You Smile” which features the story of star crossed lovers just missing each other at different moments, both trying to get the others attention. Mark is asking the question of why she did not hear his attempts to woo her and the female vocalist responds with a number of reasonable excuses. The two almost battle back and forth, it is a great story telling track and it is possibly my favorite on the album.

If your looking for something less sappy you might want to check out the guitar driven first track “Lycanthrope” the guitars are incredible as are the drum patterns from Mr. Barker, it is Mark Hoppus at his absolute best vocally, dominating anything else on the album.

The Bottom Line: With the current state of rock music marketed towards preppy highschool cheerleaders and Laguna Beach wannabe’s, you will be hard-pressed to find a more collectively pleasing rock release this year then +44’s “When Your Heart Stops Beating.” After receiving it a little less than a month ago, I haven’t been able to stop listening to it, this one is a keeper! For fans of Blink 182 looking for some music that aged as you did, you have found it!

Tracklisting

1. Lycanthrope
2. Baby Come On
3. When Your Heart Stops Beating
4. Little Death
5. 155
6. Lillian
7. Cliffdiving
8. Interlude
9. Weatherman
10. No, It Isn’t
11. Make You Smile
12. Chapter 13

Websites

MySpace.com/Plus44
PlusFortyFour.com

Record Label:

• Interscope Records

Release Date:

• 11/14/2006

Reviewer:

• Kevin Dank