It smells like Blink-182, it looks like Blink-182 and their new album will undoubtedly sell like Blink-182. However, it doesn’t really sound like Blink-182.

In fact, Blink’s new, self-titled release sounds more like the Cure than the poppy punk we’ve come to expect. This might be due to the fact that Robert Smith guests on the track “All of This.” Clearly, Blink-182 grew up.

This album is a huge jump from Take Off Your Pants and Jacket, and a medium skip from splinter bands Box Car Racer and the Transplants. In fact, several of the tracks feel strangely familiar, so much so that it’s evident the trio picked and chose the most successful snippets from their collective catalog when forging their new sound.

Blink still embodies mainstream punk – a bit of an oxymoron – but they do it with a lot more style and charisma than most bands, even ones named after days of the week (except for Death on Wednesday, you’re different). Granted, this reviewer hasn’t heard the new Thursday album in its entirety, but that’s sorta the point.

This new side of Blink cannot be defined by just one song from the album, but requires a more in depth listen. If their whole album sounded like the first single, “Feeling This,” then this review would have been the word “shit” repeated over and over again. Yet Blink successfully play with the lineup, as on the song “The Fallen Interlude,” which solely features Travis, two turntables and a microphone.

This album is worth giving a listen to, and hopefully Blink’s new, more “mature” effort will grab you. If not, save a track or two on your iPod.

[Je$$e Hoy doesn’t want you to know about his previous, failed MTV veejay career. WaaAAaahHH.]