Blink-182 go prog-rock on new album, Neighborhoods

Blink-182 drummer Travis Barker and guitarist/singer Tom DeLonge on stage at the Reading Festival, 2010. © David Atlas ./Retna Ltd./Corbis

Blink-182 might never be mentioned in the same breath as Dream Theater (although we just did it, didn't we?), but the pop-punk band is indicating that they're incorporating prog-rock stylings on their upcoming album, Neighborhoods.

Describing the new record, the band's first since 2003, guitarist/vocalist Tom DeLonge told Jam Showbiz that fans can expect a very diverse set of songs.

"There's a lot of new elements," said Delonge. "We have these songs that are total throwbacks, exactly what people would know of what Blink is. But then we have these songs that are madly different and experimental. And then we have songs that are like prog-rock Blink. So I really think that we have a tremendous, diverse palette on this."

Regarding the wide gap between their last album and Neighborhoods, bassist/vocalist Mark Hoppus said, "After not really having worked together or even been friends for a few years, it took a couple of months to kind of find that this is how it all works."

On a more serious note, Hoppus discussed the nature of the album title: "We heard Thriller was taken. We heard 'The White Album' was taken and Pet Sounds apparently was taken, as well. Who would've thought that?"