The band released their first EP, I'm Sorry... in January 2013, where their single Sweater Weather reached #1 in the U.S. Alternative Tracks and #8 on the U.S. Rock Tracks and #33 on the Billboard Hot 100. The song also charted at #68 in Canada. Their first album, I Love You. was released on April 23, 2013.
In early 2012 a mysterious band appeared online. The group, The Neighbourhood, revealed no biographical information, no photos and no backstory, offering only a moody track titled "Female Robbery." Fans and the press were confounded, scouring the Internet for any information that might lead them to the identity of these musicians. Pieces of the puzzle, some reflecting reality and some not so much, began to emerge. The Neighbourhood were a quintet. They were from California despite the British spelling of their name. They had a second track, "Sweater Weather," which had an accompanying -- and equally dark -- video.
Although The Neighbourhood's identity remained hazy, it became clear that the music they were making felt transformative to critics and fans alike. The evocative combination of rock instruments with R&B and hip-hop aesthetics seemed, in many ways, revelatory, a reimagining of sounds that seemed to make people clamour for more information with even greater fervour. In April, BBC Radio One DJ Zane Lowe, an early champion of the group, let it slip that The Neighbourhood was the handiwork of musician Jesse Rutherford, a resident of Newbury Park, CA. By early May, as the band unveiled a free, self-released EP titled "I'm Sorry," it became understood that the identity of this young band was, ultimately, secondary to the music itself.
So who is The Neighbourhood? In essence, the group, which was formed in August 2011, is a collection of five friends who make music together. They're headed by Rutherford, a 21-year-old singer who has dabbled in various genres, including hip-hop, before crafting the merge of sounds that categorizes The Neighbourhood's style. Their debut EP was produced by Justyn Pilbrow, who brought Emile Haynie on board to collaborate on "Female Robbery." The EP, recorded at the end of last year, is composed of shadowy, emotional music with visuals to match. And it's all part of the band's master plan.
"I always have a strong vision before I go into anything," Rutherford says. "I don't know how to make music any other way. It was all in my head, and that vision for the music was to make hip-hop beats with guitars and I was going to sing and rap over them. We wanted to do that hip-hop aesthetic on an indie platform."
"I'm Sorry," a five-song disc, is a precursor to the band's debut album, which is also being produced by Pilbrow and Haynie. The album, expected out in March 2013, will expand the group's moody sensibility, which pairs brooding layers of instrumentals with Rutherford's hip-hop-inspired croon. The style, which the band has dubbed "black and white" due to its confident inspirations, is based largely on rhythm, as evidenced by the EP. "When I started in music I started doing drums and then I started doing vocals," Rutherford explains. "And then I combined the two together because to me rapping is just rhythmic vocals. I think the rhythm of hip-hop is really what got me into it. It's not just words being said; it's about how the words are said."
In the end, all you need to know about The Neighbourhood is in that music and in those words. There are more facts, more pieces of the puzzle, more information to unveil. But what's the fun in being given the full picture when you can slowly discover it for yourself? It's better to leave some mystery lingering. Because, after all, it's that unknowing that brought The Neighbourhood to people's attention to begin with.
1 of Those Weaks
The Neighbourhood Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
My bitch black and white
My fear black and white
I'm never the same, I change every week
I won't stay in the middle, I'll kill everything
Yeah I'm stuck in between, if I'm wrong or I'm right
I would ask for advice, but I just do what I like
Just to stay entertained, what a waste of a life
What a waste of a space, what the fuck is your point
You're a waist with no spine, you're a waste of my time
I smoke cause I'm stressed, I try to get high
But it gets me depressed, I'm just tryna get by
I'm just drivin' at night, I got no music on
I got no favorite song, it's just me and my thoughts
I've fallen in love, I've fallen behind
I've fallen for her, more than once, only twice
I fell in the pool, got chlorine in my eyes
And it burned for a minute, but I didn't go blind
This is for my friends who play
The old cafes and they kick it in the parking lot
They call me one take Jake, baby
well I mean what I speak, what I feel with a broken heart
I've been getting money all day, so I can spend it all on us
They call me one take Jake, baby
I've been getting money all night, so I can spend it all on us
I got that big fat snake, baby
You can't get me to spit, but I'm so hard to swallow
My daddy is dead, I've got no man to follow
And I know that I'm shallow, but why shouldn't I be?
I don't mean to get deep, it's just 1 of those weaks
Couldn't tell you the day, couldn't tell you the time
Trouble falling asleep, for the past couple nights
Trouble being alone, I've been losing my mind
But I don't want any trouble, it just chooses to find me
This is for my friends who play
The old cafes and they kick it in the parking lot
well I mean what I speak, what I feel with a broken heart
I've been getting money all day, so I can spend it all on us
I've been getting money all night, so I can spend it all on us
Said I've been thinkin' bout you
And what we gon' do
But I've been thinkin' bout fallin' in love
I've been thinkin' bout you
In "1 of Those Weaks," The Neighbourhood's singer Jesse Rutherford expresses his feelings of confusion and indecision. The song opens with him describing various objects in black and white, including his car, his girlfriend, and his fear. This sets the tone for the larger theme of feeling trapped in between two extremes - "stuck in between, if I'm wrong or I'm right."
Throughout the song, Jesse talks about his struggle to find his place in the world and make decisions. He expresses frustration with others who seem to be "living a lie" just to stay entertained, while he struggles to find his own purpose. He smokes to alleviate stress but finds that it makes him feel even more depressed. He even admits to being shallow, but justifies it by saying, "why shouldn't I be?"
The chorus of the song is dedicated to Jesse's friends who spend their time hanging out in the parking lot of cafes. Despite his struggles, he still wants to spend his money on them and make the most of his time. The song ends with him admitting that he's been thinking about someone, maybe a love interest, and wondering what they will do together.
Overall, "1 of Those Weaks" is an introspective and relatable song that captures the confusion and uncertainty many people feel as they navigate life and try to find their place.
Line by Line Meaning
Aw man, the whip black and white
The car I'm driving is black and white.
My bitch black and white
The dog I own is black and white.
My fear black and white
The fear I have is clear and defined.
I'm never the same, I change every week
I'm always evolving and changing as a person.
I won't stay in the middle, I'll kill everything
I won't settle for mediocrity, I want to exceed and dominate.
Yeah I'm stuck in between, if I'm wrong or I'm right
I am unsure if my choices are right or wrong.
I would ask for advice, but I just do what I like
I'm independent and will make decisions based on my own preferences rather than seeking advice.
Can't get over the fact, people living a lie
I can't fathom why people pretend to be someone they're not.
Just to stay entertained, what a waste of a life
It's a waste of one's life to pretend to be someone they're not just for amusement.
What a waste of a space, what the fuck is your point
It's pointless and wasteful to live dishonestly and hide your true self.
You're a waist with no spine, you're a waste of my time
You're spineless and aren't worth my time or energy.
I smoke cause I'm stressed, I try to get high
I smoke to cope with my stress, and to feel a high.
But it gets me depressed, I'm just tryna get by
However, it can lead to depression, but I'm just trying to survive.
I'm just drivin' at night, I got no music on
I'm driving at night, but I'm not listening to any music.
I got no favorite song, it's just me and my thoughts
I don't have a favorite song, it's just me and my thoughts in silence.
I've fallen in love, I've fallen behind
I've fallen in love, but I'm not keeping up with life as I should.
I've fallen for her, more than once, only twice
I've fallen for her more than once, but only twice has it been significant.
I fell in the pool, got chlorine in my eyes
I fell in the pool and got chlorine in my eyes.
And it burned for a minute, but I didn't go blind
It hurt for a moment, but it wasn't permanent damage.
This is for my friends who play
This song is dedicated to my friends who hang out.
The old cafes and they kick it in the parking lot
They hang out at old cafes and spend time in the parking lot.
They call me one take Jake, baby
They refer to me as 'One take Jake'.
well I mean what I speak, what I feel with a broken heart
I am genuine and speak from a place of heartbreak.
I've been getting money all day, so I can spend it all on us
I've been making money all day, so I can spend it all on us.
I've been getting money all night, so I can spend it all on us
I've been making money all night, so I can spend it all on us.
I got that big fat snake, baby
I have a phallic symbol, a large snake.
You can't get me to spit, but I'm so hard to swallow
You can't make me break, but it's difficult to deal with me.
My daddy is dead, I've got no man to follow
My father has passed away, so I have no role model.
And I know that I'm shallow, but why shouldn't I be?
I know I'm superficial, but why wouldn't I be?
I don't mean to get deep, it's just 1 of those weaks
I don't intend to delve into deep topics, it's just one of those weeks.
Couldn't tell you the day, couldn't tell you the time
I'm so lost in my thoughts, I have no concept of time.
Trouble falling asleep, for the past couple nights
I've been having difficulty sleeping for several nights.
Trouble being alone, I've been losing my mind
I've been struggling to be alone, it's been affecting me mentally.
But I don't want any trouble, it just chooses to find me
I don't seek out trouble, but it seems to find me anyway.
Said I've been thinkin' bout you
I've been thinking about you.
And what we gon' do
And what we're going to do together.
But I've been thinkin' bout fallin' in love
But I've also been thinking about falling in love.
I've been thinkin' bout you
I've been thinking about you.
Contributed by Mia E. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Chloe Naughton
on West Coast
I don't know if I'm right or not, but I feel like when they sing "If the sun was God, I'd be covered in faith, If the ocean was the Devil, I'd be covered in hate", it means more than he's got a tan and swims in the ocean a lot. But I can't put my finger on what it could mean...