The Neighbourhood has been hinting at something big for months, but no one expected it to be this big. After four years of no group work, most people thought that The Neighbourhood was done for good. Turns out they’ve been keeping a new album under wraps for a whole year.
Beginning in August, The Neighbourhood became suspiciously active on Instagram by posting cryptic dates and photos on their story. The photos depicted different members of the band swimming in a pool and their signature upside-down house logo from 2011.
The band also held a couple of pop-up events during September and October for fans in the Los Angeles area. These events allowed them to play some of their old songs for the first time in years, as well as some of their upcoming unreleased music.
Then, in October, they delivered the big news. They were going to release a new album! The new album, “(((((ultraSOUND))))),” consists of 15 all-new tracks, three of which were pre-released on Oct. 23.
Following the announcement and pre-released songs, The Neighbourhood released “Wiped Out! (10th Anniversary Edition)” on Halloween, which consisted of 22 tracks. This version of “Wiped Out!” had all the old songs, four new tracks (“Leather Weather,” “Maniac,” “Cinnamon” and “Pressure”), a remix of “Daddy Issues” and three demo and memo songs.
With the release of their new album, the band has also been facing some backlash. Critics think that because the new music doesn’t feature any artists, it’s boring, and that The Neighbourhood has “resigned.” Some even think that they have no new ideas and are trying to replicate their old music and vibe.
Of course, the good comes with the bad, as a majority of The Neighbourhood’s fans like their newest comeback. One of the most interesting things that many fans love is how the songs range across many genres of music. From ‘90s alternative rock to a British pop feel, “(((((ultraSOUND)))))” seems to have something for everyone.
So what is my opinion?
I absolutely love it. I have been waiting on The Neighbourhood to release new music forever, so I probably would have loved anything they shared, but I really do love “(((((ultraSOUND))))).” I love how they were able to stick with the old sound that everyone loves while also incorporating something slightly new and different. I love all of the new songs and the demos and memos of the old ones. And I love that I have a total of 19 new songs to blast on my walk to class.
My favorite songs are “Lovebomb,” “Stupid Boy” and “OMG.” These songs are so good and they will be on repeat for at least two hours at the beginning of my day for about three months.
“Lovebomb” is a song that reflects the intense feelings you have when you first begin to like someone, as well as the vulnerability that comes with confessing these feelings. My favorite lyrics of the song come from the outro: “You just gotta say a few magic words/ Baby, you’re the one that’s gonna break the curse.” The way that I interpreted the music, the “magic words” he is hinting at are “I love you,” and if she says them, she will “break the curse” or break his pattern of believing he is falling in love too quickly and calm his emotional chaos.
Although it is not blatantly obvious at first glance, I believe that the “Stupid Boy” that The Neighbourhood refers to in their song is actually themselves. Sticking with the theme of breaking the “curse,” this song might showcase a reflection of their past actions and how they want to grow from them. My favorite lyrics from the song are, “While I choke on your melody/ On that note, I never want to speak again.” I just really love the way Jesse Rutherford sings these lyrics in contrast to the lyrics that come before them.
I fell in love with “OMG” the moment it was released on Oct. 23. Its lyrics describe a relationship that is all-consuming and euphoric. It explores a level of devotion so intense that it leaves a lasting emotional impact on the listener. My favorite lyrics from the song are, “Rain or shine, you’re always on my mind/ Nothing gets me high the same way you do.” These lyrics really sell the all-consuming, euphoric love feeling that The Neighbourhood seemed to be trying to achieve with this song.
Fans have been speculating a comeback for a while now and The Neighbourhood did not disappoint. They have set a new standard for themselves, and it feels like fans are about to get more of the music that made us fall in love with them.