I’m sure most of you have heard of the American alt-pop/rock band, The Neighborhood. After a quiet three-year hiatus, they returned two months ago with their new album (((((ultraSOUND))))) on November 14. Announced without a flashy promotion, the album announcement spread through subtle Instagram stories, as if the band wanted fans to stumble upon it on their own. Known for their unmistakable sound, they are one of those rare bands you can identify within seconds. Much like a Chopin piano piece or a Van Gogh painting, their music carries a signature combination: frontman Jesse Rutherford’s smooth, wide-ranging vocals coursing through heavy basslines; strong and unique drum beats complimenting the bass; and guitars packed with distortion that rings into the void. Most important, however, are the atmospheric background vocals and other noises such as sirens, waves, string noise, and shouts, all of which give life to a Neighborhood song.
What has always drawn me to The Neighborhood is the way their music feels. It gives off the image of speeding down a highway at night, city lights blurring past you as you sit with your thoughts, letting the music give a soundtrack to your sadness. Their songs are West Coast-cool mixed with yearning for a past life, along with a stab of childhood nostalgia, making them one of those rare groups that can make a simple melody transport the mind to a long-lost memory.
(((((ultraSOUND))))), on the first listen, instantly brings back elements of The Neighborhood sound that have been missed by longtime fans. The album starts off strong with four back-to-back singles, and as I listened, I was introduced to the mystical atmosphere of the album: it sounds alluring and muted, drenched in reverb, almost like you’re listening underwater, paused in a time frame between drowning and fighting for air. The hazy and dreamlike sound is perfect for describing those moments right before falling asleep.
As the album progresses, however, its weaknesses slowly show themselves. While some of the non-single tracks surprised me with strong moments of dynamic shifts, the song order causes the back half of the album to blur together. The drumbeats in this album feel less creative than in previous albums, and the more you listen, the more overwhelming the background noise becomes. The noise drowns out Jesse’s vocals, which are noticeably breathier and softer throughout the album, as if the music weren’t quite reaching your ears. On the first listen, the songs after the singles can feel underwhelming, though repeated listens of the album allow certain tracks to stand out. For example, the verse melody and use of acoustic guitar in track 10 “Daisy Chain” hooked me, and the track soon became one of my favorites in the album.
Overall, I can safely say that (((((ultraSOUND))))) hardly compares to The Neighborhood’s previous records I Love You and Wiped Out, both of which have absolute bangers from start to end. Although (((((ultraSOUND))))) may not reach the heights of the band’s earlier work, fans craving their signature atmosphere will definitely find something to love in the new album—the songs feel like a moody and mature version of a calming lullaby, perfect for lovers of the type of music that channels their grief through at night. As I get ready to see them live soon, I’m hoping this album signifies a continuation of making unforgettable music that consoles people in ways medicine or therapy never could.