The Neighbourhood are some that I'd never heard of before last week, but their brand new single, which I presume is getting much coverage and recognition, is something I couldn't afford not to write about. This dark and twisted fantasy land has poer beyond its own comprehension and is an almost perfect gloom-pop hit - this is Female Robbery.
Beginning as though Lana Del Rey could feature on the track with a shrouded set of screams, bell chimes and wallows ... this track opens up the doors to misery with the line "I think I found hell".
A drumbeat underlies as the vocal, which sounds like Daniel Merriweather meeting Danny O'Donoghue, carries the body of the song through.
This chilled out but morose vibe continues throughout and gives the impression of thug-gloom-pop that is now very much adored due to the likes of Lana Del Rey and her incredible album .. surely this is just the male fronted version and could have the same success.
The video is as sad and sombre as the track's mood and begins particularly cleverly. Some scribbles can be heard as though someone is writing and soon after a young girl's voice speaks those, in french, that she has put down - a translation reads "Dear Lord. Thank you. I am surrounded with love, I have never felt so happy. My life is like a movie, it's wonderful. Nothing could ever make me leave, ever. And I can't help[ how certain I am, of this one thing. I'm so lucky to be alive." However, in actuality a true translation has been placed by a listener, reading "Dear Journal. Why me? I don't know what love is, I've never felt so sad. If only life was like in the movies, but it's not. I wish that someone would come and take me, soon. Before the last thing that is certain, catches me, we're going to die."
This to me, once watching the whole video, which includes kidnapping, burying, hitting, excessive drinking and arguments, became obvious that the false translation was placed on purpose, so that one day someone would re-arrange it and show just what it really meant and how sad this little girl truly is ... genius.
That sums up the whole experience for me and proves that a video can make a song far more interesting and a true experience. Wow.
Paul.
Entertainment Magazine
