Bored to Death (song)

"Bored to Death"
Single by Blink-182
from the album California
Released April 27, 2016 (2016-04-27)
Format Digital download
Recorded January–March 2016
Foxy Studios
(Woodland Hills, California)
Genre
Length 3:55
Label BMG
Writer(s)
Producer(s) John Feldmann
Blink-182 singles chronology
"After Midnight"
(2011)		 "Bored to Death"
(2016)

"Bored to Death" is a song recorded by American rock band Blink-182 for the group's seventh studio album, California (2016). The song was released as the lead single from California on April 27, 2016 through BMG. "Bored to Death" was written by the band's bassist Mark Hoppus, drummer Travis Barker, guitarist Matt Skiba, and was produced by John Feldmann. It is Skiba's first single with the band, and the first single to not feature original guitarist and vocalist Tom DeLonge.

The song has so far peaked at number 18 on Billboard's Alternative Songs chart. It received positive reviews from music critics, who compared it to the band's older sound.

Background

"Bored to Death" originated in the band's first recording session with John Feldmann in January 2016; the band also recorded nearly three other songs on that first day.[1] The chorus was written by Skiba as a response to Hoppus's verse of "us traversing a relationship and kind of navigating through when things get real murky." Skiba elaborated on its meaning an interview: "It's easier to say you're bored, or to be angry, than it is to be sad. To me, that's what that verse and that song represents."[2] Feldmann wrote the first draft of the chorus and presented it to Hoppus, who re-wrote portions and created the line "life is too short to last long." Feldmann noted that although he knew Hoppus, he felt as though he were auditioning for the job as producer. Skiba heard the song and wrote the second verse, singing the vocal take in one pass.[3]

Barker's drumming on the verses was inspired by drum and bass music. "John would be like, 'Trav, do some of that weird shit you play with EDM or rap artists.' And I'd be like, 'OK,'" he said on the recording process.[4] At one point, Barker told Feldmann, "Why don't you give me one minute of click and let me just play whatever the fuck I want?" His improvisational section became the song's conclusion.[3]

Composition

The song's choruses contain the lyrics "Save your breath / I'm nearly bored to death / And fading fast / Life is too short to last long" over Barker's half-time drums. Hoppus and Skiba alternate on lead vocals between verses. The bridge of the song have Hoppus singing of a protagonist, encouraged by friends to approach a girl at a dive bar. The section features strings swelling to a crescendo. As the final chorus begins, Hoppus's vocals are isolated on the first half of the refrain.[5]

Release

The song was scheduled to debut on April 28, 2016 during Kevin and Bean on Los Angeles radio station KROQ, but was moved ahead by one day when the song leaked.[6] Its lyric video was published to YouTube too early by the band's head of marketing. "I found out about it because we had just finished rehearsal and I literally picked up my phone to check my messages there were all these alerts saying 'I love the new Blink song,'" Hoppus said.[5] Disc jockey Stryker premiered the song with Hoppus, Barker, and Skiba in the studio with him.[6]

Commerical performance

"Bored to Death" was first serviced to alternative radio on May 3, 2016.[7] The song was picked up by 57 Mediabase-monitored alternative stations in the US and Canada in its debut week, more than tripling its competition.[8] It debuted at number 18 on Billboard's Alternative Songs chart,[9] and number 15 on the Rock Airplay chart.[10]

Critical reception

"Bored to Death" received positive reviews from contemporary music critics. Gil Kaufman at Billboard deemed it "a classic tale of teenage yearning, confusion and clumsy flirting."[5] The Houston Chronicle's Mike Damante felt the song was "undeniably Blink," calling it a "catchy summer single that equally showcases the band’s maturity while still tugging at your nostalgia strings."[11] Michelle Geslani of Consequence of Sound wrote that "this comeback single proves they haven’t lost their touch for big, albeit harmless, pop punk hooks."[12] MTV columnist Loren DiBlasi felt it "proves Blink-182's resilience, and undeniable place within the world of pop-punk."[13] Stereogum's Tom Breihan complimented its "grand, surging, arena-style," noting its "massed guitars and vast and heartfelt chorus."[14] August Brown, reporting for the Los Angeles Times, considered the track "a pretty spot-on update of the band's sound, pairing teenage nostalgia and tense drumming with a KROQ-ready chorus."[15]

Jessica Goodman, writing for Entertainment Weekly, gave the song an A-, commenting that "the tune is reminiscent of some of their most beloved tracks,"[16] and Sarah Grant at Rolling Stone opined that the song felt like a sequel to the band's 2001 single "The Rock Show".[17] Jake Bender of #Tealcheese wrote that the song "feels like it's trying way too hard to call back to blink fans from the peak of their popularity (Enema Of The State), while combining that sound with the more modern and alternative rock aesthetic of their Self Titled album and Neighborhoods."[18]

Track listing

  1. "Bored to Death" – 3:55

Charts

Chart (2016) Peak
position
Scotland (Official Charts Company)[19] 53
scope="row"US Alternative Songs (Billboard)[9] 18
scope="row"US Hot Rock Songs (Billboard)[20] 18
scope="row"US Rock Airplay (Billboard)[10] 15
US Rock Digital Songs (Billboard)[21] 15

Radio and release history

Country Date Format Label
United States April 27, 2016 Radio debut[6] BMG
United States May 3, 2016 Alternative radio[7] BMG

References

  1. ↑ Gil Kaufman (April 28, 2016). "Blink-182 Talks 'Brohemian Rhapsody,' Andre 3000 & Gross Album Titles They Rejected". Billboard. Retrieved April 28, 2016.
  2. ↑ Meredith B. Kile (May 2, 2016). "EXCLUSIVE: Blink-182 Opens Up About 'Rebirth,' New Album and Moving On Without Tom DeLonge". ETOnline.com. Retrieved May 3, 2016.
  3. 1 2 Maria Sherman (May 5, 2016). "Producer John Feldmann on Blink-182's 'Bored to Death': 'It Gave Me Goosebumps on the Spot'". Rolling Stone. Retrieved May 6, 2016.
  4. ↑ Steve Appleford (April 29, 2016). "Blink-182 Celebrate Rebirth at Goofy L.A. Karaoke Bash". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on April 29, 2016. Retrieved April 29, 2016.
  5. 1 2 3 Gil Kaufman (April 28, 2016). "Blink-182 Releases First Single With New Lineup, 'Bored to Death,' Announce 'California' Release Date". Billboard. Retrieved April 28, 2016.
  6. 1 2 3 "Blink-182 Premieres New Song ‘Bored to Death’". Radio.com. Retrieved April 27, 2016.
  7. 1 2 "Future Releases on Alternative Radio Stations". All Access Music Group. Archived from the original on April 9, 2016. Retrieved April 27, 2016.
  8. ↑ "HITS Daily Double". Mediabase. Archived from the original on May 3, 2016. Retrieved May 3, 2016.
  9. 1 2 "Blink-182 – Chart history" Billboard Alternative Songs for Blink-182. Retrieved May 3, 2016.
  10. 1 2 "Blink-182 – Chart history" Billboard Rock Airplay for Blink-182. Retrieved May 3, 2016.
  11. ↑ Mike Damante (April 27, 2016). "New music roundup: blink-182, Tokyo Police Club, Matt & Kim, NOFX". Houston Chronicle. Retrieved April 28, 2016.
  12. ↑ Michelle Geslani (April 27, 2016). "Blink-182 shares “Bored to Death”, first single since Tom DeLonge’s departure — listen". Consequence of Sound. Retrieved April 28, 2016.
  13. ↑ Loren DiBlasi (April 27, 2016). "Blink-182 Makes A Soaring Comeback On 'Bored To Death'". MTV News. Retrieved April 28, 2016.
  14. ↑ Tom Breihan (April 28, 2016). "Blink-182 – “Bored To Death”". Stereogum. Retrieved April 28, 2016.
  15. ↑ August Brown (April 28, 2016). "Blink-182 releases first post-Tom DeLonge single". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved April 29, 2016.
  16. ↑ Jessica Goodman (April 29, 2016). "Beyoncé, Blink-182, Fetty Wap: Grading the week's best (and worst) new singles". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved April 29, 2016.
  17. ↑ Sarah Grant (April 28, 2016). "Blink-182 Detail U.S. Tour, New Album 'California'". Rolling Stone. Retrieved April 28, 2016.
  18. ↑ Bender, Jake (April 28, 2016). "Blink 182 "Bored To Death" Track Review". #Tealcheese. Retrieved May 3, 2016.
  19. ↑ "Archive Chart: 2016-05-06". Scottish Singles Top 40.
  20. ↑ "Blink-182 – Chart history" Billboard Hot Rock Songs for Blink-182. Retrieved May 3,2016.
  21. ↑ http://www.billboard.com/artist/298592/blink-182/chart?f=1085

External links

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