Take Off Your Pants and Jacket

Yet another album of finely crafted pop punk from Mark Tom and Travis. As one might expect, the trio do not make wild leaps musically from their previous efforts. And that's a good thing.

Due out on Tues (12Jun2001), this is worth picking up ASAP. The lead single/video Rock Show is indicative of the spirit that is Blink 182. The video shows them cashing the check from the production company in order to make the video, and then they proceed to give a homeless guy a makeover, buy new gear for a bunch of skate punks, throw money out of their van driving down the street, etc etc. Youth angst, disaffection, anger, rebellion, and all the stock components of punk are present and accounted for, and done in such fine style that it's no wonder they're always selling out shows.

One thing that I find silly (and always have) is the idea of "hidden tracks". Everyone checks the readout on their CD player so the tracks are not hidden. They just aren't listed on the liner notes. Why? I don't get it. Anyway, there are two unlisted tracks at the end of the CD. The first is the lost love track, the second is a great acoustic bit of tourettes called Mothers Day.

As with Enema of the State, there is some attention paid to individual sufferings as well as generalized rage. Stay Together For The Kids, Happy Holidays You Bastard, First Date, and the aforementioned Rock Show are going to resonate incredibly with youth of today (not the cheesy 80's punk band)