After nearly four years of silence and anticipation, The Neighbourhood returns with (((((ultraSOUND))))), their first full-length album since 2020’s Chip Chrome & The Mono-Tones. Spanning 15 tracks and 57 minutes, the record arrives as a carefully paced comeback, released alongside the announcement of an upcoming world tour.
(((((ultraSOUND))))) begins by intertwining many familiar sounds and tunes from their previous work, as lead singer Jesse Rutherford finally releases his dreamy electric voice back into the world. The album opens with “Hula Girl,” a drum-heavy track posing as a perfect opener to revive The Neighbourhood’s mix of alternative rock and R&B sounds. The drums maintain a consistent beat while giving Rutherford room to play around with vocal inflections in front of the layered instrumentals. He hazily sings “Dashboard hula girl, honey / Come and treat me like a crash-test dummy” and “All my dreams, all my hopes / Out the window,” hinting at themes of heartbreak and personal reflection yet to come in the later tracks, all while giving listeners hope and assurance that this album has been worth the four-year wait.
The next four songs may cause some fans to waver in that hope. The beginning of the album feels like a slow-burn welcome to the drumbeats, synths and guitar riffs that have historically been essential to The Neighbourhood’s name, as well as the slowly seeping in disappointment that the band has done little to expand beyond this sound. Yet, while this may be unappealing to some fans, a lack of musical reinvention going forward feels more personal: an ode to the band’s past and journey to get where they are today.
The reflective mood “Hula Girl’s” lyrics establish remains consistent on the following tracks, both on a personal and romantic level. “Private,” the fourth track and a previously released single of the album, is peppered with lyrics such as “Shh, keepin’ it private” and “All that it takes is a taste / And we’ll know what we should do / Too soon to say, better behave.” Rutherford’s past relationships have been extremely public, the most well-known with influencer and model Devon Lee Carlson and singer Billie Eilish. This song can be seen as a journal-like reflection of Rutherford’s past relationships and his realization that publicizing his romantic life is something to reconsider for his future relationships. The lyrics seamlessly blending into the hazy and dreamily-layered drum beats and guitar riffs that accompany his vocals.
The fifth track, “Lil Ol Me,” is where things finally begin to pick up. The synths and drums in the first half, paired with Rutherford’s vocal reverb, give the song a darker, more minor-leaning melody — the first truly noteworthy shift in the album’s sound. Rutherford sings “I want love, I want enough / I want more of what I’ve lost,” and “Lil’ ol’ me / Wants to keep crying on my shoulder,” maintaining the recurring theme of reflection on his past self and actions.
However, the album’s next tracks regress to the same vibe as the first four, with the drums and bass reverb overtaking the majority of the sound. “Rabbit” offers a slight shift from its precursors, introducing keys as its main instrumental support and settling into a quieter, more melancholic melody. The first few seconds open with a slow guitar arpeggio that repeats through the intro, creating a soft, looping foundation. Once the main part of the track hits, the keys make their entrance, adding another layer of intimacy to the song.
(((((ultraSOUND))))) concludes with “Stupid Boy,” a parallel to “Pretty Boy” from Chip Chrome & The Mono-Tones. The bridge contains a rare snippet of Rutherford’s screams, mimicking the sounds of alternative rock and even heavy metal. This addition posed many questions for the listeners: Was it purposeful? Does this hint to The Neighbourhood dipping their toes into more of an alternative and rock sound? The final track’s unique composition, both vocally and instrumentally, leaves the listener hanging — wondering what else The Neighbourhood could have planned for their future.
Rutherford’s reminiscing persists throughout the entirety of (((((ultraSOUND))))), which fans will likely either appreciate as is or wish had been pushed further. His meticulously written lyrics give the album a relatable edge, focusing on themes of introspection and self-improvement. (((((ultraSOUND))))) feels less like a flashy reinvention and more like a personal diary cracked open, inviting listeners to sit with the messiness of living in the public eye.
While it may not be the explosive comeback some fans had hoped for following their break, the album proves that The Neighbourhood’s return is less about reinventing their sound and more about refining the voice that made listeners care in the first place — a subtle promise of what their world tour, and whatever follows, might hold.
Daily Arts Writer Emily Kim can be reached at kimemily@umich.edu.
