The Neighbourhood’s Debut Becomes a Summer Hit

If you’re a fan of Lana Del Rey, The Black Keys, or The 1975 and you’re ready for a hybrid of all three, you’ll definitely enjoy The Neighbourhood’s debut album “I Love You.”
Hipsters watched helplessly as the formerly underground Californian quintet assaulted radio stations with their summer single “Sweater Weather,” landing them a spot one step closer to mainstream media.
“Sweater Weather,” the inescapable song of summer, with its beachy vibe and bewitching lyrics, is the pretty girl at that party you met over break.  She’s cute, complicated and fun.
But when she hooks you in, there’s no turning back.
In a way that is reminiscent of Lana Del Rey’s torchy and vintage appeal, The Neighbhourhood lays down 11 tracks of retro-fitted melancholy that you might miss under their catchy tunes.
The album begins with the unsettling “How.”
Guitar static flickers in and out, an orchestral hoot swells, a keyboard synth crescendos, and together the buzzing of these sounds effortlessly climbs the ladder of the listener’s anticipation. Even when the beat drops (backed by drummer, Bryan Sammis), no one is rewarded a puff of relief because there’s a darkness sweeping over the album.
Vocalist Jesse Rutherford opens the song in a breathy tenor voice with, “How can you question God’s existence?”
Throughout the album, Rutherford’s vocals sway from stylistically lazy to nearly rapping, which is easily done in multiple tracks such as “Let It Go” and “Flawless” where the retro style is infused with hip-hop beats.
Just as in “How,” the lyrics take the clichéd “love story gone bitter” and paint the songs raw and real.
Some lyrics aren’t as deeply poetic as others. The chorus from the popular “Afraid” may on its own resemble the whiny internal monologue of J.D. Salinger’s Holden Caulfield, but with the ‘60s inspired bluesy guitar lead by Jeremy Freedman and Zach Abels, Mickey Margott on bass, and sick beats Rutherford once tapped out on a kitchen table, it works.
“I Love You” is a seductive album that leaves behind something bittersweet. It’s the perfect end-of-summer soundtrack as it tugs at the heart strings, creating a nostalgic and unforgiving sound that may remind you of summer flings, goodbyes, cheap Vegas motels, cigarettes and rainy nights.
It may be seen as a challenge to listen to this album in one sitting without feeling bummed, frustrated, or tired, which is due in part to the little contrast between the formulas of each song.
At times the antique yet modern movement paired with the dark undertones throughout the tracks can be a little draining for 49 minutes.
Even so, The Neighbourhood could be expected to be the next big thing. With any luck, it won’t blow up in everyone’s faces like Foster the People’s overplayed “Pumped Up Kicks,” but the group is definitely headed in the right direction.
While there’s room to improve, The Neighbourhood created one of the most memorable albums of 2013, imperfections and all.

Author: Jazmine De La Cruz