Nov. 18, 2023, marks the 20th anniversary of blink-182’s fifth and self-titled (or untitled) album. “Untitled” marked a serious change in their music. The album was blink’s last before their 2005-2009 hiatus. This was their first real serious album, as all previous albums had joke songs, innuendos, etc. The 2003 album followed “Box Car Racer”, a side project of Tom DeLonge (guitarist/vocalist) and Travis Barker (drummer). Box Car Racer instated heavier music and darker themes than blink was known for, and the music and lyrics of Box Car Racer significantly affected “Untitled.”

The album instituted experimental ideas into the songs, for example, recording Mark Hoppus’ (bassist/vocalist) vocals, playing them inside of a running shower, recording the recording played in the shower, and then using that on the album. They did some other experimentation with Barker’s drums, recording verse drums, separate fills, recording with a sped-up and compressed tape machine. They then played it at normal speed which appeared on the album. Both of these effects and ideas appear on the song “Stockholm Syndrome.”

The album was also written and recorded in a strange fashion. They rented out a house in San Diego, wanting  to write and record the whole album there. Unfortunately they didn’t finish in time, and the family wanted their house back. They then finished recording at Rolling Thunder studios. The recording process was also filmed and officially released on blink-182.com throughout 2003.

This was also their last album with producer Jerry Finn (who also produced Green Day, Rancid, Weezer, Alkaline Trio, and Alvin and the Chipmunks) who would pass away in 2008 from an intracerebral hemorrhage.

The first track and first single “Feeling This” originally appeared in “Madden NFL 2004” as an early version entitled “Action.” It is an anthemic first track that also carries one into the new sound. Hoppus and DeLonge went into two different rooms to write a song. After an hour they returned, and even though they wrote their own song they both went perfectly together. Also there is an amazing outro with multiple vocal tracks playing at the same time.

“Feeling This” leads directly into the Box Car heavy “Obvious.” The guitars also can be very heavy at some points. While this song is one of the less popular ones, it’s still pretty great.

Next, we have the iconic second single,  “I Miss You.” The song is a first for the band with the fully acoustic sound, upright bass, cello and drum brushes. Barker also helped with lyrics on this song, with the Jack and Sally line referencing his then wife. This song also was a main part in giving blink-182 the emo label with which they are sometimes associated.

Next up is “Violence.” The song is one of blink’s weirdest verses with Tom quietly sing-talking with static in the background.

Originally on the CD there would be negative time on the next track, “Stockholm Syndrome,” which would play the “Stockholm Syndrome Interlude.” This song features English actress Joanne Whalley reading letters that Mark’s grandfather sent his grandmother during World War II. There is also a small repeated piano part consisting of music from “Stockholm Syndrome.” The song is now available as its own separate track, which may take away from the interestingness of what appears on the CD. But still, good interlude.

“Stockholm Syndrome” is probably blink’s loudest and angriest song. The song contains some of blink-182’s darkest lyrics and heaviest music. It’s amazing what they can convey in so few words, and such a short time.

The third single “Down” is one of the few songs where Travis contributes vocals, speaking the lines before the chorus’. The song was supposed to be about a boy and a girl inside of a car during a rainstorm with the boy trying to get the girl to stay. And the rainy mood the song is going for really works. The song sounds kind of rainy.

“The Fallen Interlude” segues perfectly from “Down” using the same melody, but with sounds that aren’t anywhere else on this album. There are some slightly strange vocals containing a reprise of “Down.” Travis gets a couple drum solos in, and the entire overall sound is just very strange. It doesn’t fit with anything else on the record, but at the same time fits perfectly.

“Go” opens the second half in a short, fast, punk way, clocking in under just two minutes. Lyrically, the song is about Mark overhearing his father fighting with his mother, and trying to get his mother to leave his father. The song is one of blink’s most personal songs.

“Asthenia” follows with a full 50 seconds of space sounds and NASA transmissions. The song begins the musical and lyrical motifs that would continue in DeLonge’s other band “Angels & Airwaves.” According to DeLonge, in the CD’s liner notes, “This song is about one thing only, an astronaut sitting in a space capsule…floating above the earth. He’s contemplating if even coming back or not will make a difference on such a negative space.”

“Always” is the fourth and final single from the album. According to the band, “Always” sounds like an  80’s song. The music video features the three band members attempting to date the same girl (Sophie Monk). It features three horizontally split screens, slightly off from each other.

“Easy Target” is another punkier song from the album. The song segues perfectly into the next track.

“All Of This” features rock legend Robert Smith of The Cure. The band has never tried to hide their love for The Cure. The song continues lyrical and musical themes from “Easy Target.” Before getting Smith on the song, blink worried that he wouldn’t want to appear because of their previous teenage boy-ish music and humor. The song was also supposed to be another single, had a hiatus not occurred. The video was to be directed by M. Night Shyamalan, who said the video would’ve been about vampires. This is one of their darkest and best songs.

“Here’s Your Letter” is probably the weakest song, but even the weakest song is still alright. The song is about writing a letter to a significant other about how your relationship can’t be fixed. It is a perfectly okay song.

The album closes with the long, drawn out “I’m Lost Without You.” With over six minutes, it is easily the longest song, and the only logical choice for the closer. Lyrically about losing your significant other of a long time to death, the song uses synths, and other things to give it a large atmospheric effect. Some strange production makes it sound slightly weird, but for the part that sounds like an actual song, it’s really good. Unfortunately, where it loses me is the almost full minute long drum solo. Musically, it’s really good and Travis Barker is an amazing drummer. But it takes away from the punch of what an amazing closer it could’ve been, had they let the synths ring out instead of the drum solo, but still a pretty good song and a pretty good closer.

Overall, I would say this is the best blink-182 album. Using more experimental music and making the lyrics darker and more mature showed people they were more than what they’d previously been. Without “Untitled” blink-182 probably would not still be as popular as they are now. “Untitled” is very good, and even better once you know what came before and after.