Two years since their last release,The Neighbourhood has a lot to live up to. But with the alternative band’s newly released second album, Wiped Out!, they managed to not only avoid a sophomore slump, but expand upon the unique sound that built them.
As their sophomore album, The Neighbourhood was clearly under some pressure to live up to the success of their sleeper hit “Sweater Weather” from their first album, I Love You. But instead of entirely rebranding their image as an indie/alternative band, they experimented with new sounds while still being able to maintain the style that put them out in the market.
The opening track, “30 Seconds of Silence,” was in fact 30 seconds of silence. The band used these first quiet moments as many do — to reflect. Without using any words at all, one could guess the members took the moment to look over their finished work. For listeners, it’s a heavy moment of anticipation of whether The Neighbourhood can pack the punch they did with their debut.
After the silence, the next two tracks shy away from the typical indie/alternative feel, moving more toward a pop sound. While the beat is catchy, the lyrics are somewhat repetitive and get lost in the background.
It’s understandable why the band would want to adapt to a more mainstream sound: to stay relevant.
But The Neighbourhood failed to realize in the first couple of tracks that their atypicality is what made them stand out. Luckily, after “Wiped Out!,” the album returns to the usual sound the radio never plays.
Opposed to the previous tracks that tried to mimic mainstream pop, the next set of songs shine in their lyricism. “Daddy Issues,” “Baby Come Home 2” and “Greetings from Califournia” dive into the lead singer Jesse Rutherford’s relationships.
The combination of the smooth beats and odes to past and present loves make for a perfect comeback in the album. The beats themselves serve as an amazing instrumental to any set of lyrics. But added to Rutherford’s relatable lyrics on love and relationships, the album starts to connect with the listener.
Unlike the moody complaining that was central to I Love You, their album Wiped Out! takes on the style of a narrative, luring listeners in with the enchanting sounds and lyrics.
Though Wiped Out! had listeners convinced by the middle of the album that it would follow through with it’s usual sound, “Greetings from Califournia” and “Ferrari” introduced a hip-hop element in the beat, which were more reminiscent of the “West Coast” vibe from The Love Collection, a previous EP.
By mixing different genres within the album, The Neighbourhood proves its versatility and ability to adapt to popular sound on their terms.
The final song, “R.I.P. 2 My Youth,” denotes the death of their innocence and journey into adulthood. Similar to the entire album, the lead single proves they have moved on to a more mature sound.
Nearly every song has some sentiment of love throughout. Whether it’s falling in love, being scared of love or proclaiming love, Rutherford doesn’t hesitate to literally pour his feelings into nearly every track. Unlike the teenage angst in I Love You, Wiped Out! offers the soundtrack to the hopeless yet romantic man-bun donning college student rethinking his slew of one night stands.
All in all, Wiped Out! shows that The Neighbourhood is not another indie band that is going to fade in the glory of a one-hit wonder.
