When Your Heart Stops Beating is the only album by the American rock supergroup +44, released on November 13, 2006, by Interscope Records. Formed in 2005 by Mark Hoppus and Travis Barker after Blink-182's breakup, +44 began as an electronic-leaning experiment before expanding into a full band with guitarists Shane Gallagher and Craig Fairbaugh. Conceived during a period of personal and professional upheaval, the album channels the aftermath of the breakup into a sound that fuses guitar-driven pop-punk with gothic new wave, '80s synth textures, and extensive use of keyboards, samples, and programmed beats.
Written largely in basements, dining rooms, and later their own North Hollywood studio, Hoppus described the writing as the most direct of his career—raw, bitter, and transparent about the implosion of his former band and the uncertainty that followed. Its songs toggle between moody electronic passages and explosive rock arrangements, often built on soft-verse/loud-chorus dynamics. Critics noted shades of the Cure, Missing Persons, and the Postal Service. Jerry Finn, who had worked extensively with Blink-182, served as co-producer.
Although anticipated by music press, When Your Heart Stops Beating entered the Billboard 200 top ten yet ultimately fell short of commercial expectations. It received mixed to positive reviews, many praising its honesty and atmosphere while others criticized its proximity to Blink-182's formula. Main singles included the title track, "Lycanthrope" and "Baby Come On". +44 embarked on a worldwide touring schedule across clubs and theaters to support the album. Plans for a second album were scrapped when Hoppus and Barker reunited Blink-182 in 2009. Background By 2004, Blink-182, consisting of bassist Mark Hoppus, guitarist Tom DeLonge, and drummer Travis Barker, had achieved significant commercial success in the mainstream. The band had taken a brief break in late 2001 when DeLonge suffered a herniated disc in his back, during which time he collected several darker musical ideas he felt unsuitable for Blink-182, compiling them into a record, Box Car Racer. The album, recorded with the help of Hazen Street guitarist and longtime friend David Kennedy, was intended as a one-time experimental project but evolved into a full-fledged band upon Barker's involvement. The side project would cause great division between DeLonge and Hoppus, who felt "betrayed." Blink-182 regrouped in 2003 to record and release their eponymous fifth studio album, which, not unlike Box Car Racer, reflected what critics believed to be a darker, more experimental tone.
The trio embarked on a European tour the following autumn. DeLonge became uncomfortable with the hefty touring schedule, during which he was unable to see his family. He eventually expressed his desire to take a half-year respite from touring in order to spend more time with family. Hoppus and Barker protested his decision, which they felt was an overly long break. DeLonge did not blame his bandmates for being disappointed with his requests, but was dismayed that they could not seemingly understand. In addition, DeLonge protested the idea of Barker's reality television series, Meet the Barkers, which was being produced for a 2005 premiere. DeLonge disliked television cameras everywhere, feeling his personal privacy was invaded. Following the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake, DeLonge agreed to perform at Music for Relief's Concert for South Asia, a benefit show to aid victims. Further arguments ensued during rehearsals, rooted in the band member's increasing paranoia and bitterness toward one another. He considered his bandmates priorities "mad, mad different", and the breakdown in communication led to heated exchanges, resulting in his exit from the group. Geffen announced on February 22, 2005 that Blink-182 would be going on an "indefinite hiatus." Label president Jordan Schur reportedly advised Barker to downplay events in the press.
Hoppus and Barker began developing new songs with near immediacy following the band's implosion, recording in Barker's basement and Hoppus' dining room. The two musicians experimented with electronic drums, samples, keyboards and direct computer recordings during this period. These recordings were ambient and quiet by necessity. "We were recording and we didn't want the cops showing up at our house at 2 a.m. because we recording drums," remembered Hoppus. While away on a trip in April 2005, Hoppus participated in an interview with MTV News in which he revealed the band's existence, saying "Right now, Travis and I are using the time off to start this project called Plus-44 […] It's very exciting, like a breath of fresh air." When the two regrouped, they decided to stop giving interviews about the new project. "It was strange to be talking about music that we were just in the very first steps of writing," recalled Hoppus. "It didn’t feel right to talk about yet." The band's name is a reference to the country code needed when placing a phone call to the United Kingdom, where Hoppus and Barker first discussed making music alone. "When we first started talking about ever doing anything outside of Blink was on the last European tour where Tom was telling us that he needed to take a year off from the band. […] We never did anything about it until Tom quit the band, but that's where it first started," said Hoppus.
Recording and production
The addition of other members to +44 came gradually. Both Hoppus and Barker were wary of making their new outfit anything like their previous band, and Barker suggested adding a woman to the fold would "really change it up". He invited his friend Carol Heller of the all-girl punk quartet Get the Girl to write with the band. Barker had first met Heller in his early days living with promoter Bill Fold. Heller shared vocals with Hoppus on most of the band's early demos. Meanwhile, Hoppus invited friend Shane Gallagher to play guitar on a few tracks the band began working on, and he soon joined the group. Barker had previously been in one of his first bands, Doyt, with Gallagher, though it "never got out of [his] garage". In developing the songs, Hoppus found that working without DeLonge, his longtime creative partner, created unfamiliar terrain. Hoppus admits in his memoir that he came to recognize how much he relied on their musical dialogue: the friendly competition, the mutual challenge to improve, and the instinctive ability they had to elevate one another's ideas. In DeLonge's absence, Hoppus frequently questioned his own instincts and talent, wondering whether he had contributed as much to blink-182 as he thought. Barker remained committed to the project, but he was also navigating multiple responsibilities—producing hip-hop, launching clothing brands, and filming a reality TV show—which added pressure to an already delicate rebuilding process.
Production on the record moved along swiftly once the duo purchased their own North Hollywood studio, which they dubbed Opra Music. The space—which featured two recording rooms, a lounge and a small outdoor courtyard—was purchased in October 2005 from former Poison guitarist Richie Kotzen. After moving all band gear into the new recording center, the entire direction for the band changed course significantly, opting for a more rock-based sound. Hoppus and Barker had believed the electronic elements would always be a startup method and nothing more; Hoppus told label executives near the beginning of the project that "We’re just using these tools at the beginning to start off this thing." Heller became uneasy with the new direction and, with a desire to start a family, parted ways with the band by the end of the year. Barker admitted the chemistry between Heller and the rest of the band was never truly there. Shortly afterward, friend Craig Fairbaugh came in to observe and listen and play to songs; he was later asked to become the fourth member of the group. Fairbaugh had previously toured as a guitarist for the Transplants.
In February 2006, the band began recording "in earnest" for the record. The band considered many producers for the album, among those Danger Mouse. Eventually, the record was produced by Hoppus and Barker, with longtime associate and friend Jerry Finn in the role of executive producer. Finn came in late into production to oversee completion, but eventually contributed heavily to the album's writing. Producer Dan the Automator was called in to "tinker" with a track. Upon completion, the record's tentative title was Little Death. By August, the band decided on naming the album When Your Heart Stops Beating. "We always thought of the phrase 'when your heart stops beating' as capturing the good and the bad in the world in everything," said Hoppus of the title. "When you fall in love with a lady and your heart skips a beat or something great happens. And also, obviously, when your heart stops beating, the end of things."
Most of the songs on the album were recorded live. Barker programmed his electronic parts on the SP-1200 drum machine. There were several songs that did not make the final cut, including an uplifting "indie country" track that was among the last to be developed. The album artwork and photography were created by Estavan Oriol. The artwork of the jewel case pictures the words "When Your Heart Stops Beating" in black with the letters "ART" of "heart" standing out in blue.
Composition
Music
Musically, +44 was envisioned as a natural extension of the songwriting evolution Hoppus and Barker had begun in blink-182—melding punk roots with electronic textures and elements of '80s new wave. The music of the album is influenced by artists such as the Postal Service, Missing Persons, and the Cure. The album experiments with unusual song structure and temperaments, and the first six tracks of the album alternate between uptempo rock songs and ballads. Many songs feature a dynamic utilizing soft verses and louder choruses. According to Corey Apar of AllMusic, +44's original electronic influence is evident in the music, although it has "ultimately [taken] a backseat to guitar-driven rock". The tone of the album has been described as "consistently upbeat," showcasing a variety of influences.
Lyrically, Hoppus described the material as the most direct and emotionally transparent he had ever written, fueled by resentment, loss, and the sense of having to rebuild after the collapse of the band that had defined his life. "Lyrically, it's some of the most positive stuff I've ever written, but it's also some of the darkest shit, too," he said. The album is composed of both dark and introspective songs, but also upbeat and "positive" tracks. For Barker, the writing of the record's lyrics was inspired by the "roller coaster" of new opportunities while starting a new band, such as writing a new song or playing a first show. The feeling is echoed throughout When Your Heart Stops Beating, and Barker described the feeling of the album as being transported to a different place. "To me, it brings up feelings of, like, driving too fast or skateboarding down the street in the middle of the night," Barker commented.
Genre-wise, Bryan of Punknews.org described When Your Heart Stops Beating as "energetic and catchy pop-punk" and containing "melodic, atmospheric ballads". Ben Yates of Drowned in Sound felt that the album started strong with Blink-182-esque songs, however delved into "emo choruses and handed-down pop-punk riffs" for the bulk of the tracklist. Kill Your Stereo described the album as emo pop, while Apar of felt it was alternative rock.
Song analysis