To the Stars... Demos, Odds and Ends

To the Stars... Demos, Odds and Ends
Studio album by
Tom DeLonge
ReleasedApril 21, 2015 (2015-04-21)
Genre
Length25:51
LabelTo the Stars
ProducerTom DeLonge & Aaron Rubin
Singles from To the Stars
  1. "New World"
    Released: March 10, 2015
  2. "Circle-Jerk-Pit"
    Released: April 7, 2015

To the Stars... Demos, Odds and Ends (often shortened to To the Stars) is the debut studio album by Tom DeLonge. It was released on April 21, 2015 (following his departure from Blink-182 in January 2015) through DeLonge's multimedia company also titled To the Stars.[3] The album To the Stars is said to contain tracks from DeLonge's "personal stash",[3] which include songs originally intended to be recorded with Blink-182,[4][5][6][7] as well as tracks originally meant for Angels & Airwaves.[8] The eight-song album was released on vinyl, CD and digital formats.[9]

Background

A few weeks after DeLonge announced his departure from the pop punk band Blink-182, through social media he expressed his interest in releasing demos he wrote for a potential Blink-182 album.[10][11] The album To the Stars was formally announced on February 28, 2015,[12] and DeLonge later elaborated that the album was one of four albums he would be releasing in 2015; he intended to release two solo albums and two Angels & Airwaves albums,[13] but by the end of the year only the solo album and the Angels & Airwaves EP ...Of Nightmares had been released.

Promotion

Leading up to the album's release, DeLonge released several songs for online streaming with accompanying music or lyric videos. He first released an online stream for the track "New World" on March 10, 2015.[14] A lyric video for the track "The Invisible Parade" was released on March 24, and the song itself may have been inspired by DeLonge's brother who served in Iraq as a Naval lieutenant.[15] On April 7, an online stream for the track "Circle-Jerk-Pit" was released,[16] and a few weeks later a music video for the track was released on April 21.[17]

The official music video for "New World" was released on April 2, 2015.[18] It was directed by Mark Eaton and consists of time-lapsed scenes of DeLonge destroying various instruments, a laptop and sound equipment at his studio Jupiter Sound in San Diego, using a Squier Stratocaster guitar and a sledgehammer. These scenes are interspersed with others of DeLonge wandering the streets of San Diego, holding the same destroyed Squier Stratocaster held together with duct tape. NME described the video as being "symbolic"[18] and Billboard said that it is "hard not to think of this as an eff you to his old band, as he packs up his stratocaster and hits the streets."[19]

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
Metacritic49/100[20]
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[21]
Consequence of SoundD[22]
Punknews.org[23]
Rolling Stone[24]

To the Stars received mixed reviews from music critics. At Metacritic, which assigns a rating determined by a "weighted average" of reviews from mainstream critics, the album received a score of 49, based on 4 reviews, indicating "mixed or average reviews".[20]

Stephen Thomas Erlewine of AllMusic considered the album transitional, writing, "To the Stars does feel like a solo album but it also does feel a bit like a warehouse -- a way to clear the decks as he preps for the next great project."[21] Brittany Spanos of Rolling Stone felt DeLonge unsuccessful in determining a "clear solo identity", opining, "if this "Suburban King" wants to rise again, he may need some help from his friends."[24] Mike Damante of the Houston Chronicle was passive, commenting, "For the most part, these demos are enjoyable, but it would be sad if they never reached the proper means for their purpose and were recorded for the projects they were intended for in the first place."[25] Kerrang! deemed it "a distinctly mixed bag".[26]

Track listing

  1. "New World" – 3:34
  2. "An Endless Summer" – 4:09
  3. "Suburban Kings" – 4:10
  4. "The Invisible Parade" – 3:29
  5. "Circle-Jerk-Pit" – 1:59
  6. "Landscapes" – 2:14
  7. "Animals" – 3:41
  8. "Golden Showers in the Golden State" – 2:35

Personnel

Credits for To the Stars... Demos, Odds and Ends adapted from liner notes.[27]

Charts

Chart performance for To the Stars... Demos, Odds and Ends
Chart (2015) Peak
position
UK Albums (OCC)[28] 96
US Billboard 200[29] 70
US Top Alternative Albums (Billboard)[30] 9
US Independent Albums (Billboard)[31] 6
US Top Rock Albums (Billboard)[32] 11

References

  1. ^ Karan, Tim (April 22, 2015). "Album Review: Tom DeLonge, 'To the Stars… Demos, Odds and Ends'". Diffuser. Retrieved December 30, 2022. …where DeLonge overindulges his proggy side.
  2. ^ Gordon, Greta (April 30, 2015). "Study Break: Tom DeLonge 'To the Stars' album review". The Orion. Retrieved December 30, 2022. The album has eight songs, all in the same punk-rock style that characterized Blink-182.
  3. ^ a b Brodsky, Rachel (March 2, 2015). "Tom DeLonge Will Release New Album, 'To the Stars... Demos, Odds and Ends'". Spin. Retrieved April 3, 2015.
  4. ^ Kreps, Daniel (27 May 2015). "Blink-182 Inch Toward 'Friendly Divorce' From Tom DeLonge". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 27 May 2015.
  5. ^ Paybe, Chris (March 2, 2015). "Blink-182's Tom DeLonge Announces Solo Album 'To the Stars,' Shares Song Snippets". Billboard. Retrieved April 3, 2015.
  6. ^ Crane, Matt. "Matt Skiba talks new Blink album, possibly becoming a "permanent member"". AltPress.com. Retrieved 23 April 2015.
  7. ^ Sharp, Tyler (27 May 2015). "Blink-182 continuing "friendly divorce" from Tom DeLonge, says Mark Hoppus". AltPress.com. Retrieved 27 May 2015.
  8. ^ Angels and Airwaves. "Angels and Airwaves on Facebook - "Pick up Tom DeLonge's new LP of unreleased demos & decipher which ones were originally recorded for an AVA album!". Angels and Airwaves – via Facebook.
  9. ^ Tom DeLonge [@tomdelonge] (18 March 2015). "Limited Edition Art Prints, Shirts and Vinyl from.... Well... Me :)" (Tweet). Retrieved 23 April 2015 – via Twitter.
  10. ^ Sharp, Tyler (February 1, 2015). "Is Tom DeLonge teasing songs that were meant to be for Blink-182?". Alternative Press. Retrieved April 3, 2015.
  11. ^ Crane, Matt (February 19, 2015). "Tom DeLonge will release new Blink-182 demos March 1". Alternative Press. Retrieved April 3, 2015.
  12. ^ Sharp, Tyler (February 28, 2015). "Tom DeLonge to release Blink-182 demos, more on new album, 'To The Stars'". Alternative Press. Retrieved April 3, 2015.
  13. ^ Kreps, Daniel (March 22, 2015). "Tom DeLonge Maps Out Massive 2015 Plans, Details Blink-182 Rift". Rolling Stone. Retrieved March 23, 2015.
  14. ^ Carley, Brennan (March 10, 2015). "Tom DeLonge Lashes Out at Insecurities on Solo Single, 'New World'". Spin. Retrieved April 3, 2015.
  15. ^ Blistein, Jon (March 24, 2015). "Tom DeLonge Goes Acoustic on New Song 'The Invisible Parade'". Rolling Stone. Retrieved April 3, 2015.
  16. ^ Sharp, Tyler (April 7, 2015). "Tom DeLonge revisits his roots with possible Blink-182 demo, 'Circle-Jerk-Pit'". Alternative Press. Retrieved April 7, 2015.
  17. ^ Sharp, Tyler (April 21, 2015). "Tom DeLonge debuts video for possible Blink-182 demo, 'Circle-Jerk-Pit'". Alternative Press. Retrieved April 21, 2015.
  18. ^ a b NME News Desk (April 2, 2015). "Former Blink-182 member Tom DeLonge shares symbolic video for 'New World'". NME. Retrieved April 3, 2015.
  19. ^ Stutz, Colin (April 2, 2015). "Watch Tom DeLonge Trash The Stage in 'New World' Video". Billboard. Retrieved April 3, 2015.
  20. ^ a b "Reviews for To the Stars: Demos, Odds and Ends by Tom DeLonge". Metacritic. Retrieved May 28, 2015.
  21. ^ a b Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "To the Stars: Demos, Odds and Ends - Tom DeLonge - Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards". AllMusic. Retrieved May 28, 2015.
  22. ^ Brennan, Collin (April 14, 2015). "Consequence of Sound Review". Consequence of Sound. Retrieved May 28, 2015.
  23. ^ Jon (April 21, 2015). "Tom Delonge - Demos, Odds and Ends". Punknews.org. Retrieved January 7, 2016.
  24. ^ a b Spanos, Brittany (May 18, 2015). "Blink-182 dude has trouble finding a clear solo identity". Rolling Stone. Retrieved May 28, 2015.
  25. ^ Mike Damante (April 20, 2015). "New music roundup: Tom DeLonge, Matt And Kim, Death Cab for Cutie". Houston Chronicle. Retrieved July 28, 2015.
  26. ^ "To the Stars Review". Kerrang!: 52. May 2, 2015.
  27. ^ To the Stars (liner notes). Tom DeLonge. To the Stars. 2015.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  28. ^ "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved December 21, 2020.
  29. ^ "Tom DeLonge Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved April 30, 2015.
  30. ^ "Tom DeLonge Chart History (Top Alternative Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved May 15, 2015.
  31. ^ "Tom DeLonge Chart History (Independent Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved May 15, 2015.
  32. ^ "Tom DeLonge Chart History (Top Rock Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved May 15, 2015.