Cheshire Cat (Blink-182 Album) - Music

Music

A number of the tracks on Cheshire Cat are recycled from the band's previous demos. "Carousel" is the record's first track, which also opened the Filter cassette demo Buddha. The song had its genesis in the very first jam session between Hoppus and DeLonge in 1992. It contains skate punk influences and has been described as "a satisfyingly fast-assed punk song in the vein of NOFX with some very adept dynamic breakdowns." The record's first single, "M+M's", follows, which is based around power chords and Hoppus' lead vocal of a vacation elsewhere. Joe Shooman described it as "Blink in microcosm," commenting that, "in less than three minutes they nail their sonic colors to the mast." Track three, "Fentoozler" is another recycled song from Buddha. "Touchdown Boy" is written about being "the hero who always gets the girl." It is based around a school friend the trio knew and originally included his name, until the band thought better and toned it down. "Strings" follows, and "Peggy Sue" afterward, which is about "holding off from being aggressive when other people are telling you what to do."

"Sometimes" carries on the relationship theme, and "Does My Breath Smell?" has been described as " singing some self-searching lyrics over a subdued riff" that later " into mosh-melting territory with one of the most economical lead guitar counterpoints to the layered vocals so far." The following track, "Cacophony" is slower paced and revolves around a relationship in which confusion reigns due to the imbalance of enthusiasm between both involved. Shooman writes that "the lyrics are unguarded and show a sensitive side of Blink that's quite often been somewhat obfuscated over the years by the popular perception of the band as goons goofing off." "TV" asserts that television is a vital part of life, and the recycled "Toast and Bananas" follows. "Wasting Time", which became the record's second and final single, is sung by Hoppus, longing for the object of his affection. "Romeo and Rebecca", likewise, argues that the object of his affection, and the fairer sex as a whole are a waste of time. Three more tracks close out Cheshire Cat, all of which are joke tracks.