Blink 182
While Blink-182's pop-punk has given more than its share of entertaining moments over their career, "sonic experimentation" is hardly what you'd expect from their sixth studio album. Within their guitar-bass-drums template, however, they offer moments of playfulness and lyricism that stretch their definition of sound. The tempo changes and uses of (relative) silence in "Violence" and "Stockholm Syndrome" borrow post-punk conventions, and lend a new feel to the band's trademark cranked-upness. (The use of treated piano on the latter song also suggests that they’ve bent an ear to a few psychedelic-popclassicsin their time.) As with 2001'sTake Off Your Pants and Jacket, a theme of loneliness emerges upon the first couple of listens, but this time it feels as if Blink wants to connect it to something larger than before. Growth from the guys who once jokingly celebrated man-on-dog intercourse? Yeah. And best of all, it's worth hearing.--Rickey Wright