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.
A The Time
The Neighbourhood Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
When the time of year came around
I sought to prove that you're a loser
The the first things I saw, girl
Smug as a bird and a user
I have neither A
The time
Nor B
I have neither A
The time
Nor B
The Inclination
Uhh, uhh.
When the time of year came around
I sought to prove that you're a loser
The the first thing I saw, yeah...
You're a user.
I have neither A
The time
Nor B
The inclination
I have neither A
The time
Nor B
The inclination
I have neither A
The time
Nor B
The information
I have neither A
The time
Nor B
The application
I have neither A
The time
Nor B
The inclination
(etc)
The lyrics of The Neighbourhood's song "A The Time" are enigmatic and elusive. The song seems to be about a failed relationship and the singer's lack of interest in trying to make it work. The sick bassline is haunting, and the melody is repetitive, giving a sense of longing and detachment. The opening lines, "When the time of year came around, I sought to prove that you're a loser," suggest that the relationship ended around a certain event or occasion, and the singer wanted to prove their ex wrong. However, the next few lines create confusion as the singer seems to describe their ex as "smug as a bird" and "a user." It is unclear whether the singer is projecting their own insecurities or genuinely believes their ex was manipulative.
As the song progresses, the refrain "I have neither A/The time/Nor B/The inclination" becomes a mantra that emphasizes the singer's unwillingness to engage with their ex anymore. The repetition of this line suggests that they have lost interest in the relationship and do not want to waste any more time or energy on it. The line "I have neither A/The time/Nor B/The information" suggests that the singer is not interested in finding out what went wrong or trying to fix it. They are content with moving on and leaving the past behind.
Overall, "A The Time" is a mysterious and melancholic song about the aftermath of a failed relationship. The lyrics are open to interpretation, leaving the listener to fill in the gaps and make sense of the singer's emotions.
Line by Line Meaning
When the time of year came around
At a certain time each year, I planned to prove that you are a loser
I sought to prove that you're a loser
I wanted to show everyone that you are a failure
The the first things I saw, girl
The first thing I noticed about you
Smug as a bird and a user
You were arrogant and manipulative
I have neither A
The time
Nor B
The Inclination
I am lacking both the time and the motivation to deal with you
I have neither A
The time
Nor B
The Inclination
I don't have the time or the desire to deal with you
I have neither A
The time
Nor B
The information
I don't have the resources to deal with you
I have neither A
The time
Nor B
The application
I don't have the skills or tools to deal with you
I have neither A
The time
Nor B
The inclination
I am not interested or motivated enough to handle this
Contributed by Riley R. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@axel8919
Vacancy was lit, the guests were checking in
The concierge was cold
The water pipes had mold all over them
The room was fit for two
The bed was left in ruins
The neighbor was knocking, yeah
But no one would let him in
Touch me, yeah
I want you to touch me there
Make me feel like I am breathing
Feel like I am human
Dancing through the night
A vodka and a sprite
A glimpse of the silhouettes
A night that they never forget
Touch me, yeah
I want you to touch me there
Make me feel like I am breathing
Feel like I am human
Touch me, yeah
I want you to touch me there
Make me feel like I am breathing
Feel like I am human
She sought death on a queen-sized bed
And he had said, "Darling, your looks can kill,
So now you're dead."
Touch me, yeah
I want you to touch me there
Make me feel like I am breathing
Feel like I am human
Touch me, yeah
I want you to touch me there
Make me feel like I am breathing
Feel like I am human, again
@moniquewilson8235
Vacancy was lit
The guests were checking in
The concierge was cold
The water pipes had mould all over them
The room was fit for two
The bed was left in ruins
The neighbour was knocking, yeah
But no one would let him in
Touch me, yeah
I want you to touch me there
Make me feel like I am breathing
Feel like I am human..
Dancing through the night
A vodka and a Sprite
The glimpse of the silhouettes
A night that they'd never forget
[Chorus] x2
She sought death on a queen sized bed
And he had said "darling, your looks can kill. And now you're dead"
[Chorus]
@4vlhz
Lyrics:
Vacancy was lit, the guests were checking in
The concierge was cold
The water pipes had mold all over them
The room was fit for two
The bed was left in ruins
The neighbor was knocking, yeah
But no one would let him in
Touch me, yeah
I want you to touch me there
Make me feel like I am breathing
Feel like I am human
Dancing through the night
A vodka and a sprite
A glimpse of the silhouettes
A night that they never forget
Touch me, yeah
I want you to touch me there
Make me feel like I am breathing
Feel like I am human
Touch me, yeah
I want you to touch me there
Make me feel like I am breathing
Feel like I am human
She sought death on a queen-sized bed
And he had said, "Darling, your looks can kill,
So now you're dead."
Touch me, yeah
I want you to touch me there
Make me feel like I am breathing
Feel like I am human
Touch me, yeah
I want you to touch me there
Make me feel like I am breathing
Feel like I am human, again
@AnasFetouaki
Who is still listening to this in 2024?
@busra4374
ofc me
@ramsaysnow9196
i just discovered it
@Awtuch
It’s still 2023 y’all tf
@GETOOXE
Me 😮🤚
@crazyhairsinger
Me
@PurpleAnthonyRocks
Not sexy people, not melancholic, sensual. This is what this song is. It's incredibly sensual.
@sadrdaze
I absolutely agree!!
@KelliDiMera
Anthony Douglas Exactly.
@amberwade1300
Xuela Douglas !