I was lucky enough to get an early peek at Angels and Airwave's new album, We Don't Need to Whisper, and I have to say, it surprised the hell out of me. Even with all the hype surrounding this album, it has personally lived up to nearly every expectation - save for some completely unattainable assetions made by Tom Delonge.

While it is perhaps some of my favorite music in years - even out performing blink-182's self-titled experiment - I will cede that it will not be welcomed by everyone.

Roaming the internet, I have seen several reviews trashing the new album, calling it everything from boring to overproduced - some even dubbing it "another Blink 182 album with the addition of synthesized sound effects." The fact of the matter is Tom Delonge has never been taken seriously as a musician and his cloudy reputation precedes him here. Perhaps one too many fart jokes.

A clear digression has taken place, however, and he deserves people’s recognition of his musical vision and talent. While Tom has not completely forgotten his roots, the sound is something new - a unique blend of power pop punk and anthemic rock. From the opening track of "Valkyrie Missile", the band clearly shows the direction the music is headed and the message is clear - the world isn't perfect, but hope for the future is not outside the realm of rationalism.

Tom has also stepped outside the invariable bonds of song structure and has dabbled with some new, exciting concepts. Most critics will disagree, but rarely if ever are those critics musicians in their own rights and only occasionally can they fully appreciate the ingenuity of the songs. Possibly my favorite track, “The Adventure”, displays a clear cut utilization of this ingenuity. With extremely powerful and pepped up verses and a chilled, generally tranquil chorus; the song displays a unique method of building and falling. In what is my first experience of this distinct process, I feel like the verse acts as the chorus and is constantly changing – a fluid concept of the song. On the other hand, the choruses tend to pull the song back, carefully preparing you for the next verse. It is a nice change form the norm.

I wish I could only give props to the band and their debut album, but a true critique must include the negatives as well. I don’t feel that in the public's eye the album quite lives up to some of the statements that Tom asserted. I will admit, however, that I have been caught up in the message and feel that it does hint at something amazing. Will everyone be swayed? No, of course not. I believe that many non-Blink fans will have trouble adjusting and will not devote sufficient energy for the album to fully set-in. Only those who have been on the rollercoaster ride of being a true fan will be able to quickly adjust – ready for anything written by these artists. From their first hiatus, to Boxcar Racer, and back with a kickass new Blink 182; all the fun, success and ultimate heartbreak of the band immediately connects Blink fans on a deeper level with Angels and Airwaves. And lastly, only those willing for a change of pace and an altogether new sound will be able to make a smooth transition. It truly is remarkable, given the chance.