Customer Reviews

Box Car Racer

5 star:		(148)
4 star:		(56)
3 star:		(14)
2 star:		(8)
1 star:		(13)

 

 

What happens when you take the teenage potty humor out of Blink-182, and combine it with a much darker sound? You end up with Boxcar Racer, a side project by Blink's Tom DeLonge and Travis Barker. Teamed up with Over My Dead Body's David Kennedy on backing guitar, and Anthony Celestino on bass, Delonge puts out what could be considered in many ways a solo project. I don't mean that in a way to put down or give any less credit to the other members. But it was Tom's idea in the first place to pay tribute to bands such as Fugazi and Refused, who's influences are undoubtely showcased throughout the album.

The guitar work won't be dropping jaws anytime soon, but then again, it won't leave anyone bitterly dissapointed. However, Travis without a doubt displays his incredibly on point percussion skills throughout the album, and believe it or not the bass happened to catch my ear as well. Musically this album was on the mark, sure to please both Blink and rock fans alike.

Delonge's lyrics touch a much more personal chord than normally heard with Blink 182. And while I do enjoy his time with Blink, the newer style is a welcomed change for the time being.

Heres the bad news folks. If your a die hard Blink 182 fan that only listens to them because the guys are "hot", then [this is not for you]. This is an album made for fans of punk, alternative, and rock in general, and it sure won't leave a happy little smile on your face. You won't find any references to roses left by the stairs, instead you'll be confronted with subject matter such as broken homes, shattered relationships, and more dark tones alike. To clarify, I'm a very big Blink-182 fan, so no I'm not slamming the band.

As the title states this is a solid side project by Tom and Travis, it's well worth the listen for all music fans.

Box Car Racer is not merely Blink 182 Jr. The band has a more darker sound and the songs are more deeper than the traditional Blink style. I am somewhat of a fan of Blink, but I think Box Car delivers more in their CDs. Tom's vocals and lyrics are better, and Travis's drumming, even though it sounds experimental sometimes, is amazing. So here's the track breakdown:

1. I Feel So- A great way to kick off the CD, about finding your way through life. The intro is insanely long, but it's still good. 9.25/10
2. All Systems Go- A fairly good second song, interesting middle part. 8.75/10
3. Watch the World- Apparently some of the lyrics were inspired by 9/11, and they're very moving. 9.5/10
4. Tiny Voices- It's not that great a song, but the voices in the interlude are a nice touch. 8/10
5. Cat Like Thief- Cool intro, and an overall nice song, except much of it is just the chorus repeating itself. 9.5/10
6. And I- A neat funky song that sets a nice pace for itself midway through. The interlude is one of the coolest I've heard. 10/10
7. Letters to God- This song is mainly about Tom telling God that he's not ready to die yet, and that he wants to do more on earth. Starts off quietly and then busts out with exploding electric guitars. 9.25/10
8. My First Punk Song- Seems more appropriate on a Blink CD, and I think this song alone gave Box Car a Parental Advisory. 20+ swears and other bad lyrics in 1:04 can't be good...7.5/10
9. Sorrow- Interesting drumming, but the song in itself isn't the best. 7.25/10
10. There Is- Boxcar's second hit is just as good as I Feel So, and in my opinion, this love song is even better. 10/10
11. The End With You- I could've done without this one, but I guess it's alright. 7/10
12. Elevator- Mark from Blink does guest vocals on this one, but this wouldn't be the smartest way to end the album(seeing as how it's about suicide) and that's why they stuck the instrumental in. It's still a solid song, though. 8.75/10
13. Instrumental- Not too bad, for an instrumental. 7.75/10

So pick this one up, even if you're not a fan of Blink. This album may surprise you...it certainly surprised me.

Box Car Racer is the side project of blink-182's Tom DeLonge and Travis Barker. I'll start by going over all the tracks first. And giving them a 1-10 star rating

I Feel So- The lead off single and an excellent song. A darker song about feelings and wishing them away. 8 stars

All systems go- a song bitching about the government but still a pretty good song. 7 stars

Watch the world- one of the better songs on the album with great lyrics, some apparently inspired by 9/11. 9 stars

Tiny Voices- one of my least favorites, the chorus leaves a lot to be desired, plus i didnt care much for the talking in the interlude but still an ok song. 5 stars

Cat Like thief- Features Tim Armstrong and Jordan Pundik, but jordan i'm not for sure is even in the song. It sounds like he does back-up in the chorus. i wish they'd utilized his talent more but still a great laid back song. 8 stars

And I- A good song which wouldnt sound out of place on a blink cd. 7 stars

Letters to God- The standout track on the album Dealing with death and is pretty much Tom standing up to God and saying that he doesnt want to go. if you've never heard this song please give it a try. 10 stars

First Punk Song- A short fast punk song. Enough said 7 stars

Sorrow- Worst song on the album, it just didnt click with me 3 stars

There Is- an accoustic love song, with excellent lyrics 9 stars

The end with you- a good song about the end of the world 8 stars

Elevator- Features Mark Hoppus. A nice happy sounding song but is actually about a guy jumping off a building great idea for a song and puts good use to Tom and Marks chemistry. Ending the album with blink charm. also a cool chello solo at the end.

Overall a great album which i reccomend to any rock fan. With great lyrics and travis' sick beats( which sound experimental at times) this is a great album. Also in personal opinion the next singles should be letters to god, and watch the world. Thanx

This is an unbelievable Punk album. Tom Delonges guitar lines are awesome. Tom created Boxcar Racer because he was going through hard times and needed to express himself. It was just a small side project. I do not beleive that they are going to record any more cd's. Boxcar Racer almost caused Blink-182 to split. Mark got mad and thought that Blink was going to split up. So Toma dn Travis went back to the band.

You should definatly check this cd out. There is a great blend of pop/punk and emotional rock. Songs like "All Systems Go" and Tiny Voices display the more punk side and songs like "There is" and "Cat Like Theif" display the emotional side. Also singer/guitarist Tim Armstrong of Rancid is features in "Cat Like Theif." It is a great song with excellent lyrics. Travis explodes on drums displaying a great performnace in every song. The lyrics that Tom rights are great and worth while.

I love Blink182.When I heard "I Feel So" on the radio, I thought it was some single of theirs, since I had not heard of a new album coming out. I found out it was Boxcar Racer, which is two-thirds of Blink182: Tom DeLonge, and Travis Barker. Travis Barker is an awesome drummer. He can really play well-he is talented. The songs are carried by his drumming. The lyrics are a bit sparser, and the vocals are more tuned in to the punk side of Blink182-Tom DeLonge's voice is very full of character, humour, and the loss of love and begging for forgiveness that comes in many of the songs on Boxcar Racer. While much of the album sounds a great deal like Blink182, there are some songs that stand out and are very good. It is a listen to again cd. My personal favorite song is "Cat Like Thief", where the singer from Rancid makes a guest appearance. Also, "Sorrow", "The End With You", and "Feel So" are good.It's alot more serious than blink182, alot more dark. But it is good that way. If you like Blink182, like their darker songs, this is a good cd.

For starters, I'm a pretty big blink fan, though I've been disapointed with there recent works, as they are straying further into the pop influence. So when I popped Boxcar racer into my CD player, I was surprised that a band comprised of two Blink memebers could sound so mature. There single, I Feel So, expresses a wide range of emotions carried through incredible sounds and rifts. Travis's ability with the drums carries the album on a rollercoaster ride of soft rhythm and hard hitting. If you think this is a Blink album in disguise, think again. The tracks on the CD sound very mature (with the exception of "My First Punk Song", but what would you expect from the title :P), and although the majority deal with relationships and heatbreak, you won't hear the kind of poppy nonsense that Blink and other "punk" bands are so accoustomed to. Give this CD a chance. It offers enough variety that any person could pick out quite a few songs they like. Most noteable achievement of the album: "Letters to God"--->This song alone could have easily earned my recommendation. It carries so much emotion, and at first sounds like just an acoustic song, but at its climax explodes into 45 seconds of unadulterated hard rock that continues to carry the strong emotions that Tom DeLonge is trying to convey. Simply amazing!

When I first learned of the creation of Box Car Racer, I was very excited, being a die hard blink fan and all. When I first listened to "I Feel So" on a MCA download I grew more excited. When I first listened to Box Car Racer's self titled album, I was astonished. The writing (lyrically and musically) is beautiful. Box Car brings a great new sound to music today. When listening to the album, it's hard to even think about or compare Box Car Racer to blink-182. It's that great.
Fans of punk that goes a bit harder than blink will like "And I". For fans of the slower type punk stuff, "Cat Like Thief" (featuring Tim Armstrong of Rancid on vocals) is a good track. Fans of blink will appreciate "Elevator" featuring Mark Hoppus. Fans of the acoustic punk can get a good listen out of "Letters to God". And finally, fans of anthem written songs will enjoy "I Feel So" (note: the album version is extended and a lot better than the radio edit) and "All Systems Go".
To end, Box Car Racer brings something good to all, so I suggest you do yourself a favor and pick up a copy of the CD.

First off I would like to say Blink 182 is not sellout material. Blink has been making the same kind of music since the beginning. The only difference is the style of drum playing when Scott Raynor left and a more hardcore Travis Barker entered. But this album is awesome - especially if you are one who listens to every word in the lyrics. Its very powerful. The only thing I dislike about this CD is the fact that it is EXPLICIT CONTENT. WTF?! There is only 5 swears in this entire album excluding 'My First Punk Song' which was humorous the first time I heard it but nothing after. BCR has also done a good job picking out the singles off this album. 'I feel so' and 'There Is' are a couple of the best tracks on this album. Others would be 'Sorrow', 'Cat Like Theif', ' Watch the World' and the short but sweet 'Elevator'. And, in some reviews I have read that people think Tom DeLonge sounds like a girl. That is a load of BS. Tom has a distinct sound which makes Blink 182 and Box Car Racer be successful. I'm sick of hearing lead singers like the one from New FOund Glory. They all sound a like. They sound like Simple Plan, Something Corporate and other Punk singers. Tom is a good singer. Almost as good as this album.

this cd is awesome ill go through each song for you
1. i feel so-really good, probably different from your downloaded version.
2. all systems go-way better than downloaded version and a good song in general.
3. watch the world-good lyrics, good guitar, good drums
4. tiny voices-great song, the kind of song you your sister wouldnt like because it doesnt sound like all the small things. blast this song every time.
5. cat like thief-good song, good lyrics, get used to the other guys funny voice
6. and i-good drum beats and lyrics
7.letters to god-good lyrics, then electric guitar comes in, awesome
8. my first punk song-real fast, good jump around kind of song
9. sorrow-good melody thing, i think
10. there is- great lyrics and acoustic guitar, one of toms best lyric songs
11. the end with you-good guitar drums and lyrics
12. elevator-really good song, mark sings on it too, one of my favorites
13. instrumental-.........good instrumental
get the cd

This cd is a break from the now poppy blink 182. Take blink and add harder darker music tones and way more serious lyrics and you get Box Car Racer.
Here is my review of the songs on the cd....
1)I Feel So- a great song, perfect for theyre 1st single-9/10
2)All Systems Go-a great song with a chorus like no other-9/10
3)Watch The World-an excellent song with a good beat to it and nice lyrics-9/10
4)Tiny Voices- one of the hardest songs on the cd with a nice chorus-8/10
5)Cat Like Thief-a slow song with a nice beat, not a very good song though-5/10
6)And I- has an excellent drum solo in the beginning, and toms voice sounds good in this song-9/10
7)Letters to God- a very sad song which talks about toms grandmother dying, starts out slow, and ends loud, the 2nd best song on the cd-9.5/10
8)My First Punk Song- the fastest song on the cd, but doesnt belong on the cd-5/10
9)Sorrow-A song about a guy saying sorry to a girl over and over again, nice beat and chorus-8/10
10)There Is- The most overrated song I have ever seen, everybody says how great this song is, but it really is just a very slow song with not a good beat and no high point in the song-6/10
11)The End With You-The best song on the entire CD!, the lyrics are dark, depressing and perfect for Box Car Racer, this song is cant get any better, has a great chorus and goes into a slow beat and ends huge-10/10
12)Elevator-an OK song, what makes this song even OK is the fact that Mark from Blink 182 is in it.6/10
13)Instrumental-No words, just great music-9/10