The Neighbourhood – Wiped Out! (Album Review)

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Alternative Rock group The Neighbourhood formed in Newbury Park, California in 2011 and have been on the rise to success ever since. Known for their R&B like vocals and Experimental Indie sound, The Neighbourhood has made an impact on the Alternative Rock scene. The band consists of Jesse Rutherford (lead vocals, keyboard, and synthesizer), Zach Abels (lead guitar, rhythm guitar), Jeremy Freedman (rhythm guitar, backing vocals), Mikey Margott (bass guitar) and Brandon Fried (drums and classical guitar), who have been working together since the very beginning. After releasing several EP’s including, I’m Sorry…(2012), Thank You (2012), and The Love Collection (2013), they released a full studio album I Love You, where they had a number one hit with “Sweater Weather,” on the US Alternative Rock chart. Their sophomore album, Wiped Out!, was released on October 30th via Columbia Records.

Wiped Out! begins with “A Moment of Silence,” which may make the listener believe their copy of the album has an issue. Following that bit of confusion,“Prey” kicks in with a ghostly beginning with the use of a tambourine, the guitar riff, and Rutherford’s vocals. “Cry Baby” brings the sound back to their first album, with its mellow, melodic beat. The title track “Wiped Out!” is one of two songs on the album that is over six minutes long, yet not one minute of the song is dull. There is always something happening, whether its Rutherford’s spoken word, poem-like lyrics, or the distortion of guitars and use of the synthesizer. It is constant and keeps a listener drawn in.

“The Beach” will perhaps be the biggest hit of the album. While the novel On The Beach by Nevil Shute did not inspire the song, the two do draw some parallels. On The Beach is about a small group of people surviving their last few months after radiation exposure in World War III. Two characters fall in love, even though their fates are sealed. What transpires between the two are like lyrics of “The Beach,” which is about two people in love while being scared of what it means and what is going to happen. The next song, “Daddy Issues,” is speculated to be an open letter to Rutherford’s father. It has a very distorted sound throughout the entire song to go along with the central theme. At one point in the song he states, “I didn’t cry when you left at first/But now that you’re dead it hurts/This time I gotta know/Where did my daddy go?/I’m not entirely here/Half of me has disappeared.”

Another song with a strong attachment to Rutherford’s real life is “Baby Come Home 2/ Valentines.” It is a continuation of the song “Baby Come Home,” from a previous EP, both being about his ex-girlfriend, Anabel Englund. It is the second song that is over six minutes long, with the last four minutes consisting of a solid instrumental distortion mix. “Greetings From California” starts off with sounds of waves crashing and moves into a musical tone that resembles that of a broken record, in a positive way. The song continues with the use of a synthesizer to alter the sound making the entire chorus resemble a gargled voice. The album begins to wrap up with “Ferrari,” which is about hypocrisy and double standards in relationships and the mental and physical issues they create. Next, “Single” starts with a xylophone, which sounds innocent and childlike and symbolizes the beginning. The topic is believed to be about Rutherford’s current girlfriend, Devon Lee Carlson. It is romantic, soulful, and has the usual Neighbourhood twist.

The album ends with the band’s first single, “R.I.P. 2 My Youth,” which is about changing, growing, and surviving hardships. Rutherford mentions his father’s passing once again, as well as the rest of his family, and says he is going to be alright. Even if he does not make it out alive, he is going somewhere he calls ‘Paradise.’

This album is full of powerful messages, backed by powerful music. Wiped Out! holds its own as a record, but is also cohesive with their previous work. The Neighbourhood is a band that knew they had a good thing and did not tamper with it. They have remained consistent and will go far with their sound. CrypticRock gives Wiped Out! 5 out of 5 stars.

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