Brinley Hineman // Contributing writer
After wowing fans with their debut album, I Love You, Los Angeles formed band The Neighbourhood had a lot to live up to with their sophomore album, Wiped Out! After over two years of waiting, their newest album was released Oct. 30.
The group has become a go-to band for indie music lovers after their song “Sweater Weather” topped the charts in 2013. However, on their latest effort, the band strays from their R&B infused indie roots in exchange for experimental beats.
The first track, “A Moment of Silence,” lives up to its name. Listeners are met with 34 seconds of eerie quiet, making fans question the meaning behind it. The symbolism of the silent track is never answered and is instead open to interpretation.
This underground indie five-piece is quickly changing the way fans perceive genres of music. Wiped Out! offers songs with influences from several genres, making it difficult to pinpoint exactly which one The Neighbourhood falls in. Their music can be viewed as nothing less than a form of art citing musical influences from rock, indie, R&B and hip-hop. Together, all these genres craft their original style of tunes.
Wiped Out! gives off a very beachy feel to listeners, with recordings of a Malibu beach and the wildlife living there. The band spent three months there while experimenting with their sound and drawing inspiration from the ocean.
Many songs on the album have a hip-hop influence, but they still carry enough indie undertones for fans of I Love You to enjoy. The album is filled with 11 tracks of chill music ridden with melancholy lyrics, with many songs dedicated to lost loves.
The song “Daddy Issues” offers some electronic additions and an alternative feel. Lead singer Jesse Rutherford creatively discusses the effects family problems can have on romantic relationships. Fans speculate that this song along with “R.I.P. 2 My Youth” is in remembrance of the passing of Rutherford’s father. Although written on a sad topic, “R.I.P. 2 My Youth” is catchy and filled with upbeat, dance-worthy music.
Slow, somber melodies fill the album with the exception of “Ferrari,” a fast-paced song with a bitter edge lamenting the distance between two people who were formerly in love. This angst-ridden song is one that anyone dealing with a nasty break up can easily relate to. I anticipate that this hit will soon gain as much popularity as “Sweater Weather.”
All in all, this highly anticipated album did not leave fans disappointed. The Neighbourhood had a lot to live up to following I Love You, and they did not miss the mark.
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