Blink 182: Enema Of The State

It's easy to dismiss Blink 182 as pop-punk for Maxim readers: After all, the group's brashly stupid, simple, two-and-a-half-minute songs rarely stray from the limited perspective of a bunch of clueless cads. But the band would be even easier to dismiss if its songs weren't so consistently catchy. From its beginnings as Blink (the 182 was added later for legal reasons), the trio's hooky music was as smartly conceived as its lyrics were stupid, and the new Enema Of The State is hard to hate. Despite the moronic title, Blink 182's well-publicized love of scatological stupidity generally takes a backseat to self-aware tales of doomed relationships, as it blasts out 12 hummable would-be singles with infectious "na-na-na-na" choruses that make Green Day sound turgid and ponderous. "What's My Age Again" is the smash single—you'll never go broke creating an anthem for immature post-adolescents, even working within a well-worn genre—but there are plenty of over-the-top follow-ups on deck, from the speedy, punky "Dumpweed" to the speedy, poppy "All The Small Things." The only thing missing is a soppy, string-soaked ballad a la Green Day's "Good Riddance (Time Of Your Life)," and for that, Blink 182 deserves your undying gratitude.