Album Review: The Neighbourhood &#8211; (((((ultraSOUND)))))

Following their five year hiatus from music, alternative rock band The Neighbourhood are back, releasing their long awaited album, (((((ultraSOUND))))), in November of last year. Through their deluxe edition, the American band convey a taste of their Californian roots through a colourless lens, differing from what we would expect from the vibrant state.

Lead vocalist, Jesse Rutherford, captures the raw and vulnerable emotions of feeling alone in different stages of relationships. The album cover of (((((ultraSOUND))))) gives the listener an insight into what the tracks will sound like, black and white. Although not tasteless, the band perfectly convey the essence of loneliness through tracks like, ‘Good Grief’, ‘Bed’ and ‘Daisy Chain,’ as they showcase a feeling of abandonment.

The band perfectly convey the essence of loneliness

The lead singles of (((((ultraSOUND))))) are what really shine through this album. ‘Hula Girl’ is an incredible starting track as it relays the progressive sound the band has achieved after fourteen years into their career. The melody is simple yet serves its purpose as an indie track with Californian inspired themes. Another lead single of the album, ‘Lovebomb’, is arguably the strongest track of (((((ultraSOUND))))). Rutherford shines through not only his voice but his lyricism. The chorus relaying, ‘I know it’s crazy, I know I’m a fool / I know it’s way too soon to tell you “I love you”’, highlights a shift in romantic relationships that defines the line between love and lust. ‘Private’ creates the image of (((((ultraSOUND))))) as the post-chorus is catchy and creates a somber atmosphere for what the band has to offer. The quiet hushes and melancholy bass embrace the mysterious mood that weighs on the entire album.

Leaning into the dreary state, ‘Planet’ lyrically offers an outlook into how it feels to be lonely despite having a significant other. The contrasting lyric, ‘And I don’t want to walk alone right next to you’, expresses this isolation as the arch of the relationship is slowly losing its meaning. It has a groovy bass that compliments the darker themes the band blend within the emotional vocals. Similarly, ‘Holy Ghost’ is the most vulnerable track of the album as it contains the band’s signature sound of a moody ambience with indie pop. The hazy strums of guitar mixed with the bellowing drums and electronic beats create a great song that expresses the raw emotion of failure.

If they were not on the album at all, it would not make a difference

Towards the middle of the album, one track in particular stands out. ‘Rabbit’ has this beautiful imagery and escalating melody that compliment each other so well. The lyric ‘Slipping through the cracks of all the spaces that I don’t wanna fall in’ is reminiscent of the abandoned feeling that comes across, but ‘Rabbit’ is much heavier and darker as this feeling grows.

(((((ultraSOUND))))) loses its momentum around the end of the album. The tracks ‘Zombie’, ‘Mama Drama’ and ‘Crushed’ are not inherently bad, but are more for fans of The Neighbourhood that are familiar with their sound. The background vocals really help to strengthen the tracks and the melodies are decent, however the three songs seem flat compared to how strong the rest of the album is. If they were not on the album at all, it would not make a difference to the project as they do not bring anything new. Frankly, they get better upon listening to them more, but it is doubtful that they are the songs you would reach for first from the album.

The best track from the deluxe is ‘Red Flag’

The deluxe, (((((ultraSOUND)))))+, (released in February of this year) strengthens this album even more as the band do not replicate the same sound from the rest of the tracks, but rather gather inspiration to produce something new. ‘Start’ is the perfect opener as it carries upbeat drums and dreamy synths that flatter each other. ‘Good Grief’ has already become a fan favourite as it is a strong continuation of the band’s signature sound and although ‘Lulu’ does not have the strongest chorus, it has a catchy melody that compliments the album as a whole. The band do something new with ‘Bed’ as a robotic voice is used over Rutherford’s, giving a completely new sound to what listeners are used to. The best track from the deluxe is ‘Red Flag’ – a blend of electronic dance music and alternative pop – as it is so different from the rest of (((((ultraSOUND)))))+, yet works in complete cohesion with the project.

Overall, (((((ultraSOUND))))) is a great album for the band to come back with as they blur the lines between the sound that makes them The Neighbourhood, and a fresh vision that may slowly occur in albums in the future. Up next for the band is their 2026 tour, The Wourld Tour, where they will play in London, Manchester and Glasgow.