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.
JEALOUSY
The Neighbourhood Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
My mind playing tricks trying to break my zone
Lost a lot trying to reach the throne
Many nights I aint making home
She wants me there its like I need a clone
I try my best no matter what its like I'm always wrong
I guess its why I wrote this song
Just hopping you would call my phone
And I'm on top like all the time
Girl you know I'm on my grime
I just need some peace of mind
I hope she hears this shit and press rewind
We went our separate ways until next time
Its not a race its a marathon
At times I feel I stand beyond
I take it as a lesson learned
And then we cross the finish line
Thank god I woke up in the morning and see the sunshine through the blinds
At times I sit an reminisce on all the things I left behind
Rest in peace this peace of mind
Someday we will reunite
This is the shit that your baby bounce to
Promise you that I'll make a baby with you
Make a momma of you
Ain't no drama with you
My baby brings heat like a momma does too
I pay homage to you
And college for the babies
I'll even move your momma to the Bahamas
And maybe
I'll take you on the open road
You'll take me where the ocean goes
I'm getting cheesy on these jungle drums
I sound like Weezy on a million
The money's coming and I know it
But the money doesn't have control of us
This is the shit make your momma start crying
Not because she's sad cuz cause her baby's alright
Her baby's her pride
That baby's her life
Momma would break down if the baby did die
Rest in peace this peace of mind
Someday we will reunite
Again
Rest in peace my peace of mind
Hope that we will reunite
And you go mama where do we go
And then you do mama what do we lose
If we leave mama when do we breath
How do we eat
Where do we sleep
And you go mama where do we go
And then you do mama what do we loose
Mama how do we breath
And how do we eat
Where do I go to sleep
If you move mama
Where do I go too home, need to go home
need to go home
I live to party
And baby you know we don't stop
I live to party
But baby don't know what she got
Like a whisper to me
Rather stay not here
Baby listen to me
I got to get higher 'cause you're way up there
The song "Jealousy" by The Neighbourhood is an emotional ballad that explores the singer's fears and insecurities. The opening lines of the song are intense and reveal the singer's state of mind. He is paranoid and hates to sleep alone, and his mind is playing tricks on him. He has lost a lot trying to reach the top, and he feels like he is always wrong no matter what he does. He wrote this song hoping that the person he loves would call him, and he is struggling to find peace of mind. The singer wants to be reunited with his loved one, but he understands that it is not a race but a marathon, and he takes it as a lesson learned.
In the chorus, the singer talks about how he will make a baby with the person he loves and be a good father. He promises to pay homage to her and take care of their family. He acknowledges that the money is coming, but it does not have control over them. The bridge of the song is poignant as the singer asks his mother where they will go and what they will do. He needs a place to call home and find comfort, which adds a layer of depth to the song.
Line by Line Meaning
Im paranoid I hate to sleep alone
I am always anxious and cannot bear the thought of being alone at night
My mind playing tricks trying to break my zone
I get lost in my own anxious thoughts and they are threatening to disrupt my peace
Lost a lot trying to reach the throne
I have lost my way many times in my attempts to achieve power or success
Many nights I aint making home
I often find myself staying out late and not returning home at night
She wants me there its like I need a clone
My partner wants me around all the time, it feels like I need a duplicate of myself to fulfill their expectations
I try my best no matter what its like I'm always wrong
No matter how hard I try, I always feel like I cannot do anything right
I guess its why I wrote this song
I wrote this song to express my feelings and thoughts
Just hopping you would call my phone
I am hoping that you would call me so I can feel loved and wanted
Money hit my line
I have been successful in my endeavors and have made money
And I'm on top like all the time
I am constantly achieving success and feel like I am unstoppable
Girl you know I'm on my grime
You know that I am focused and working hard to achieve my goals
I just need some peace of mind
I need some time to relax and clear my mind
I hope she hears this shit and press rewind
I hope my partner hears this song and realizes how much I care about them
We went our separate ways until next time
We have gone our separate ways for now, but I hope we will see each other again
Its not a race its a marathon
Success is not about winning a race, it is about continuing to work hard and persevere through challenges
At times I feel I stand beyond
Sometimes I feel like I am above everyone else
I take it as a lesson learned
I see my mistakes as valuable lessons that I can learn from
And then we cross the finish line
And then we achieve success and accomplish our goals
Thank god I woke up in the morning and see the sunshine through the blinds
I am grateful for every day and appreciate the beauty of the world around me
At times I sit an reminisce on all the things I left behind
Sometimes I reflect on things I have lost or left behind and feel nostalgic
Rest in peace this peace of mind
I hope to find peace and rest while I am alive
Someday we will reunite
I hope to be reunited with loved ones who have passed away someday
This is the shit that your baby bounce to
This is the kind of music that will make your baby dance
Promise you that I'll make a baby with you
I promise that I will have a child with you
Make a momma of you
I want to make you a mother and raise a family with you
Ain't no drama with you
We never fight or argue, there is no drama in our relationship
My baby brings heat like a momma does too
My child is full of energy and life, just like their mother
I pay homage to you
I respect and honor you
And college for the babies
I will provide for our children's education
I'll even move your momma to the Bahamas
I will do anything to make you and your family happy, even move them to a tropical paradise
And maybe
And perhaps
I'll take you on the open road
I want to take you on a road trip and explore new places together
You'll take me where the ocean goes
You will show me the wonder and beauty of the ocean
I'm getting cheesy on these jungle drums
I am getting emotional and cheesy while listening to these upbeat drums
I sound like Weezy on a million
I am confident and sound like a successful artist
The money's coming and I know it
I am making a lot of money and I am aware of it
But the money doesn't have control of us
We are in control of our lives and our success, not the money
This is the shit make your momma start crying
This song is so emotional and powerful that even your mother might cry when she hears it
Not because she's sad cause her baby's alright
Not because she is sad, but because she is proud of her child
Her baby's her pride
Her child is her source of pride and joy
That baby's her life
Her child is her whole world
Momma would break down if the baby did die
If her child were to die, she would be devastated and heartbroken
And you go mama where do we go
Where do we go from here, Mom?
And then you do mama what do we lose
What will we lose if we continue down this path?
If we leave mama when do we breath
If we part ways, when will we be able to breathe and find peace?
How do we eat
How will we survive and provide for ourselves?
Where do we sleep
Where will we find a safe and comfortable place to rest?
I live to party
I enjoy going out and having a good time
And baby you know we don't stop
And you know that we never stop having fun
But baby don't know what she got
But my partner doesn't realize how much they mean to me
Like a whisper to me
You are like a soft and comforting whisper in my ear
Rather stay not here
I would rather stay in this moment forever, with my partner
Baby listen to me
Please listen to what I have to say
I got to get higher 'cause you're way up there
I need to become a better person because my partner is so amazing and I want to be worthy of them
Writer(s): THE NBHD, CASEY VEGGIES, KOSSISKO KONAN
Contributed by Nora B. 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...