Blink 182 – Dogs Eating Dogs EP. Reviews: _M_Blink182DogsEatingDogsArtworkblink-182 hit just as hard as ever even as they kick off their brand new Dogs Eating Dogs EP [iTunes link] with the resounding acoustic guitar of “Boxing Day“.

It’s a hauntingly beautiful goodbye song, weaving together some of the band’s most cinematic lyrics ever and a faint hum. Tom DeLonge and Mark Hoppus sound utterly pristine, harmonizing together. Hoppus’s bass swell revs up “Disaster” as an imitableTravis Barker beat bounces through swells of spacey guitar effects. Quickly, the track snaps into a punk-y stomp that’s as tight as it is transcendent, while DeLonge announces, “I’m scared of the dark my friends”.

Everything brightens again on the slick rock riffing and percussive roll of “Dogs Eating Dogs”. It’s classic blink-182, but it’s also next level. Dogs Eating Dogs elevates everything fans loved aboutNeighborhoods to a whole new plateau and, as a result, showcases some of the band’s best songwriting ever.

Then there’s “Pretty Little Girl” which shifts from some ethereal effects into a scorching cameo from YelaWolf. Hearing him rip through a verse mid-song proves to be a welcome surprise. The collection culminates on “When I Was Young“. It’s thought-provoking lyrics float just above the propulsive rocking making for another ponderous gem.

Dogs Eating Dogs stands out as the band’s first independent release in 20 years, but most importantly it feels like the start of the next and best chapter of their career yet.

by: Rick Florino for artistdirect.com image from z93kqz.fm