California band The Neighbourhood released two music videos last week in anticipation of their upcoming album Chip Chrome & The Mono-Tones, which drops on September 25.
The album was first announced on July 31 with the release of single “Cherry Flavoured,” along with an animated music video in the style of a 90’s Nickelodeon cartoon — along with our first glance at the band’s apparent alter-egos, Chip Chrome & The Mono-Tones.
This week we get to see Chip Chrome in all his glory as a silver-painted Jesse Rutherford. The aesthetic for this new era is a far cry from their old black-and-white style, bringing in elements of 70’s glam, modern California, and a touch of the wild west.
“Devil’s Advocate” just might be one of The Neighbourhood’s best songs yet, its heavy guitar and signature vocals complimenting the band’s new look perfectly. The video features Rutherford as Chip Chrome walking through various scenic backgrounds, all with a vintage, psychedelic feel.
Most recently, we were given a bit more backstory to the Chip Chrome character in new release “Pretty Boy,” where he can be seen unsuccessfully busking around California. The song has a similar feeling to the band’s 2015 album Wiped Out!, with distinct surf-rock elements making their way into the song’s indie sound.
With every single released so far being excellent, it’s no wonder the band is feeling confident as they prepare for the album drop. In a YouTube livestream leading up to the release of “Pretty Boy,” Rutherford describes how easily the music video fell into place, with no more than three takes being needed for any shot: “We made this video, like, a week ago — like, we just made it. Which is also really exciting because we got to shoot it, and the turnaround time was so fast to be able to show you guys now.”
Chip Chrome & The Mono-Tones is the band’s first album since 2018’s Hard To Imagine The Neighbourhood Ever Changing. If what we’ve seen so far is any indication, fans have a lot to look forward to on September 25.
