The Neighborhood, with a strong and nostalgic lineup, contains Jesse Rutherford as their vocalist, Jeremy Freedman and Zach Abels on the guitar, Mikey Margott on the bass, and Brandon Fried on the drums. Brandon Fried rejoined the band after being fired in 2022 for accusations of sexual assault by Maria Zardoya, the lead singer of the Marías.
They are back from their five-year hiatus and have worked to put out their fifth album. They have been together for 14 years and have developed their changing themes and styles throughout that time.
On Nov. 14, they released “(((ultraSOUND))))” which consists of 15 tracks that run for about 57 minutes. While they kept the teasing for this album release low, they did publish three singles, “Private,” “OMG,” and “Lovebomb” on Oct. 23.
It could be believed that they did not hard-launch their return from break in fear of it not living up to their fans’ expectations. Most of the population was not aware they were even dropping a new album until a couple of days ago.
“Hula Girl” starts the listener’s journey through their new pieces of art. The song takes the audience back to what they have known and love of the neighborhood. With a foundation of guitar, with fairly effortless drums on top. The lyrics focus on the inanimate object, that is, a hula doll, and trying to cling to it as everything around them changes. The song illustrates the hope one has, even as it appears that an unfair and unfortunate fate is destined for them.
The collection ends with “Stupid Boy” to capture their grunge persona in one last outcry. The melancholic sound of the song creates a theme of regret. The boy throws away what he has worked for without noticing the mistakes he is making bywith breaking the heart of a loved one.
