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.
Baby Came Home 2 / Valentines
The Neighbourhood Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
With some money on the floor
And box that's hidden under her bed
I was only twenty two
With a pocket full of truth
But I gave her everything that I had
We were born and raised in the Golden State
Mommy's gone and daddy's doing his best
Social security's paying the rent, ooh
The landlord called, she said you gotta go
Little one you just lost your, ooh, yeah
She was five foot four
Getting money on tour
But her socks were at the end of my bed
Got our names tattooed on each other
Just to prove to each other
That we'd do what we said
Only took a few days
'Til our minds were made up
And we thought we should try it again
I was only seventeen when we first tried things
When she first made me feel like a man, oh
Who am I gonna call?
Who's gonna catch me when I
Who's the one you're sleeping with?
Who
Don't you sit in front of me
And wait for me to talk
You can call me up
Phone works two ways, you know
This time baby
And I think that I'll be just fine
I wish I could say the same for you
I, yeah I do
I, hey
The Neighbourhood's song Baby Came Home 2 / Valentines is a tale of two relationships that are connected but at different times in the singer's life. The title of the song suggests that there is a first version of the story, with the "2" implying that this is an updated or continuation of sorts. The first verse takes us back to when the singer was only 22 years old and fell in love with a girl who is described as being 5'4" and with some money on the floor. She had a box hidden under her bed, which could suggest that she was hiding something, but this is never fully explained. Despite the fact that he was living in poverty, the singer gave her everything he had, suggesting he loved her deeply. The second half of the verse hints at a difficult childhood, with the singer being raised on Section Eight (public housing) and relying on social security to pay the rent. The landlord calls and tells them they have to go, leading to a sense of loss and uncertainty.
The second half of the song takes us forward in time to when the singer is older and has been touring. He and his partner had each other's names tattooed on themselves to prove their commitment to one another. Despite a hasty start, it only took a few days for them to realize they wanted to be together again. The singer reflects on the fact that he was only 17 when this relationship began, and he was made to feel like a man for the first time. The final lines of the song are mysterious and somewhat enigmatic, with the singer asking who he can call, who will catch him, and who his partner is sleeping with. He tells her that the phone works both ways and implies that he feels he will ultimately be okay, even if she may not be.
Overall, the song appears to explore themes of love, loss, commitment, and uncertainty. The singer has experienced significant difficulties in his life and relationships, but he is still searching for companionship and support.
Line by Line Meaning
She was five foot four
Describing the physical attributes of the singer's love interest.
With some money on the floor
The woman has some wealth or money lying on the floor.
And box that's hidden under her bed
The woman has a box that is hidden under her bed.
I was only twenty two
The artist was only 22 years old.
With a pocket full of truth
The artist was honest and truthful.
But I gave her everything that I had
The singer gave his all to his love interest.
We were born and raised in the Golden State
The singer and his love interest were born and raised in California.
Mommy's gone and daddy's doing his best
The artist's parents are no longer together, and his father is doing his best to raise him.
I was brought up great living section eight
The artist grew up great despite living in a low-income area (Section 8 housing).
Social security's paying the rent, ooh
The artist's family is relying on social security to pay their rent.
The landlord called, she said you gotta go
The singer is being evicted from his home by the landlord.
Little one you just lost your, ooh, yeah
The artist has lost his home and perhaps everything else.
She was five foot four
Describing the physical attributes of the singer's love interest at a later stage in their relationship.
Getting money on tour
The singer's love interest is making money from touring.
But her socks were at the end of my bed
Despite her success, the singer's love interest still keeps her socks at the end of his bed.
Got our names tattooed on each other
The artist and his love interest have gotten each other's names tattooed on their bodies as a sign of commitment.
Just to prove to each other
The tattoos symbolize their love and commitment to each other.
That we'd do what we said
The tattoos shows that they are serious about their relationship promises.
Only took a few days
Their commitment grew quickly and strongly.
'Til our minds were made up
Once they decided to be together, they were sure of it.
And we thought we should try it again
They had tried to be together before and were giving it another chance.
I was only seventeen when we first tried things
The artist was only 17 when they first attempted to be together.
When she first made me feel like a man, oh
His love interest made him feel mature, grown up, and masculine.
Who am I gonna call?
The artist is unsure who to turn to for help and support.
Who's gonna catch me when I
The singer is unsure who will be there to catch him when he falls.
Who's the one you're sleeping with?
The singer suspects his love interest is cheating on him and wants to know who she's seeing.
Don't you sit in front of me
The singer is tired of his love interest withholding information and avoiding conversation.
And wait for me to talk
He wants her to actively participate in the conversation and not just wait for him to do all the talking.
You can call me up
The artist is willing to listen and talk if she calls him.
Phone works two ways, you know
Communication is a two-way street and he expects her to communicate with him as well.
This time baby
He's suggesting that their relationship has been on and off multiple times and that this is their final chance.
And I think that I'll be just fine
The artist thinks he'll be OK whether their relationship works or not.
I wish I could say the same for you
The artist doubts that his love interest will survive without their relationship.
I, yeah I do
The artist is certain of his feelings and thoughts about their relationship.
I, hey
A final expressive exclamation to the ending of the song.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: ZACHARY ABELS, JEREMY FREEDMAN, BRANDON FRIED, MIKE MARGOTT, JESSE RUTHERFORD
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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...