I Love You
by The Neighbourhood
  • Record Label: Columbia
  • Release Date: Apr 23, 2013
User Score
7.7

Generally favorable reviews- based on 113 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 84 out of 113
  2. Mixed: 16 out of 113
  3. Negative: 13 out of 113
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  1. TheSquaredPear
    Apr 26, 2013
    9
    This is a pretty solid album. The critic reviews don't do it justice. Yes, the lyrics are ridiculously shallow, but the overall sound of the band is very easy to listen to and enjoy. I made an account just to review this album and show that it is really not that bad. They are obviously talented and good at writing catchy songs. I'm just trying to warn those deterred by the low score. THISThis is a pretty solid album. The critic reviews don't do it justice. Yes, the lyrics are ridiculously shallow, but the overall sound of the band is very easy to listen to and enjoy. I made an account just to review this album and show that it is really not that bad. They are obviously talented and good at writing catchy songs. I'm just trying to warn those deterred by the low score. THIS IS NOT A BAD ALBUM. The critics reviews are exactly that...critical. If you are younger and enjoy pop rock akin to the Summer Set, Foster the People, and Neon Trees, this is for you! Give it a chance!… Expand
  2. dearring
    Apr 19, 2014
    10
    Well, musical metacritic can't rate any music.
    You should not appreciate the albums just because of lyrics as song rhythm, instrumental sound and singer voice are as important as lyrics.
    The album songs are soothing and enjoyable, they create some atmosphere that allows every listener to join such a beautiful musical trip.
  3. godwinkent888
    Feb 23, 2014
    5
    After listening to Sweater Weather, I decided to listen to the entire album. But i was disappointed. Sweater Weather was the best track in the album, and the rest of the tracks were either dragging, badly written, or plagued with weak instrumentation.
  4. AliLynn
    Feb 5, 2014
    9
    Lets be honest, when it comes to music now a days, it really doesn't take much to captivate an audience.Throw in some catchy beats and a repetitive chorus and soon enough it will wind up on the every radio station until you never want to hear it again. As great as those songs are, I know Im not the only one who appreciates originality in the music they listen to. So when I heard the albumLets be honest, when it comes to music now a days, it really doesn't take much to captivate an audience.Throw in some catchy beats and a repetitive chorus and soon enough it will wind up on the every radio station until you never want to hear it again. As great as those songs are, I know Im not the only one who appreciates originality in the music they listen to. So when I heard the album I Love You released last April by the upcoming band The Neighbourhood, I was immediately captivated by their fresh new sound as they brought a new twist to our pop rock culture. Although the music is mostly aimed for college/high school age listeners with its edgy sound and rebellious vibe, the bands popularity caught fire with all ages when their big hits “Sweater Weather” and “Afraid” hit the radio this past month.
    The band first drew my attention when I had purchased a ticket to their show prior to hearing their album. Lights were dim, smog crept through the floors, and the crowd was hyped- their black and white persona was immediately noticeable before they had even entered the stage. I may just be a woman who appreciates an attractive man who can sing, but I was blown away after the band had hit the stage with their mesmerizing sound. When they show was over, I rushed home and bought their album. After I downloaded the full album I was extremely impressed with the band as they sound exactly the same live, which is rare with musicians now a days. Not only are their songs catchy, I Love You gives a different twist to pop  as the songs are mixed with raw instrumentals, mechanical beats, and a cloudy vocals from the lead singer, Jesse Rutherford who gives off a tatted James Dean vibe. The album also puts their own edgy twist from popular artists as they released a cover of “Say My Name” by Destiny’s Child and “Cry Me A River” by Justin Timberlake.
    While some may view the band as “immature and whiney” (such as my boyfriend who wont listen to anything that isn't rap music), other such as myself may also find this album to be addicting and extremely well done. Admittedly, the band does give off a certain dark undertow that may make listers feel a bit standoffish towards the album, but If you like catchy rock with a little attitude, I would highly recommend this album and I am eager for the new release this upcoming spring.    … Expand
  5. elaphros
    Dec 23, 2013
    10
    I can't believe how incredibly facile the critics are that reviewed this album were.

    If you were to actually listen to the themes the reason for the apparently "immature" writing become quite obvious. This album is autobiographical, starting in the preteen years, the loss of religion/faith (How), pre-teen and teen relations and rivals(Afraid and Everybody's Watching Me), puppy love    I can't believe how incredibly facile the critics are that reviewed this album were.

    If you were to actually listen to the themes the reason for the apparently "immature" writing become quite obvious. This album is autobiographical, starting in the preteen years, the loss of religion/faith (How), pre-teen and teen relations and rivals(Afraid and Everybody's Watching Me), puppy love (Sweater Weather), still working on Let it Go. Then moves on to childhood reflection in Alleyways, where the teen starts to think back on simpler times in life. Then more mature relationships problems reveal themselves in WDYWFM, and first true love in Flawless. Female Robbery deals with depression in the aftermath of losing that first love. The songwriter then shows how they dealt with that depression through music in Staying up and reflecting on the childs past as they move on into adulthood with Float.

    You might notice that the use of sophomoric cussing and phrasing starts to change at the end of the album.

    All the songs are EXTREMELY strong musically, and the mix of Indie and hip-hop type beats really make for a fairly unique sound that fails to bore. The vocals are pleasing and the pacing of the album makes for a good full listen.

    What makes for a better freshman album than the actual freshman perspective?    … Expand
  6. Klou84
    May 29, 2013
    10
    The critic reviews completely boggle my mind... I am in disbelief that they believe this albums deserves those low scores. The album does have (very few) moments when the lyrics sound a bit amateur, but the good by far outweighs the bad here. From start to finish it is a great listen with no fillers. The album is produced by the same guy that produced Lana Del Rey's records and canThe critic reviews completely boggle my mind... I am in disbelief that they believe this albums deserves those low scores. The album does have (very few) moments when the lyrics sound a bit amateur, but the good by far outweighs the bad here. From start to finish it is a great listen with no fillers. The album is produced by the same guy that produced Lana Del Rey's records and can definitely be heard here, but it has a darker and more masculine tone that her work. My favorite tracks are hard to pinpoint because there are so many great ones, but I would have to choose Afraid, Female Robbery, and Flawless. If you want an expertly produced, lyrically unique, moody, atmospheric album, then give I Love You a listen... You may be as pleasantly surprised as I was.… Expand
  7. adriana0110
    Apr 10, 2021
    10
    i love this album am! flawless is so underrated. definitely a game changer pls
  8. Panda_moniums
    May 10, 2014
    3
    I think these songs had a lot of potential, but they are drowned out and diluted by over production, and a muttery vocalist. I mean, sure I love Sweater Weather for its originality, but you can throw away every other track on the album. The lyrics, especially to "Afraid" sound like a nursery rhyme. You can do two things: Hope there sophomore release is way better than this, or completelyI think these songs had a lot of potential, but they are drowned out and diluted by over production, and a muttery vocalist. I mean, sure I love Sweater Weather for its originality, but you can throw away every other track on the album. The lyrics, especially to "Afraid" sound like a nursery rhyme. You can do two things: Hope there sophomore release is way better than this, or completely take the Neighbourhood completely off your radar. This is coming from an adolescent male.… Collapse
  9. Mab_987
    Dec 1, 2013
    6
    I like this album, but it didn't quite blow me away like debuts other buzzed up new indie-pop bands did. My favorite thing about this album is the sound. This band has a fantastically distinct musical style, creating this very moody atmosphere coated in reverb while still for the most part retaining a good amount of accessibility & pop appeal through some very catchy hooks. The vocals,I like this album, but it didn't quite blow me away like debuts other buzzed up new indie-pop bands did. My favorite thing about this album is the sound. This band has a fantastically distinct musical style, creating this very moody atmosphere coated in reverb while still for the most part retaining a good amount of accessibility & pop appeal through some very catchy hooks. The vocals, while never absolutely incredible technically, are done in a nicely understated way that compliments what's going on around it, and the almost rap-like cadences are a nice touch. Meanwhile the drums sound huge & cacophonous, and the guitar is more meant to enhance the song through some high jangly leads that are a little buried in the mix rather than being the driving force behind it, which is a pretty interesting songwriting strategy for an indie-pop band. Admittedly though, the bad side of this is that in a few tracks (specifically in the verses) it seems like the production is doing more to make the song engaging than the band themselves, making for moments that are enjoyable to listen to but ultimately forgettable.

    I'd say the lyrics are easily this album's weakest area. Sometimes they're too vague & ambiguous to stand out from other “I'm depressed” songs, while at other times they're so irritatingly immature it's baffling why they weren't rewritten in favor of something with a little more subtlety or creativity. Even though these issues are pretty much opposites, I can link them to the same problem: trying way too hard to appeal to angst-ridden teenagers who act like they're in clinical depression to get attention in every negative situation. And considering that I'm a teenager, it's not a good sign that I was able to catch that bit of pandering to my demo. Some songs individually have their own little confusing messages that don't really know where they're going. “How” seems to start out questioning the logic of some atheists/agnostics, then by the chorus is whining about being an outcast. Then there's “Let It Go” & “Alleyways”, which detail growing up in a rich city & having fun as a kid, but don't really have as much to say relating to that as the depressive vibes & occasional vague claims of “struggle” want us to think.

    I honestly think the area of love & relationships is where The Neighbourhood work best in, as shown by “W.D.Y.W.F.M?” & “Flawless”. They explore a dysfunctional relationship in a way that can come off immature at times, but in a way that's understandable & kinda likable. And the topic of depression & self-doubt is occasionally tackled with some level of creativity. Like on “Female Robbery”, where the narrator reaches such a crippling low point that he wouldn't have a problem with being kidnapped in his sleep & removed from his apparently miserable life. You could say the background for this is a bit unexplained, but it's certainly more effective emotionally than other attempts at conveying despair found here. And other songs on the back half like “Staying Up” and “Float” do a decent job at showing imagery in this subject. While I wouldn't call I Love You. a bad album by any means, I was a bit disappointed after loving the first 2 singles. They're got a nice sound going for them that can serve them very well in the future, but they're gonna have to work on making the songwriting as a whole just as interesting.

    Top 5 tracks: Sweater Weather, Female Robbery, W.D.Y.W.F.M?, Flawless, Everybody's Watching Me
    Score: 68/100
    My Facebook review page: That Non-Elitist Music Fan    … Expand
  10. omniscient
    Jul 11, 2013
    6
    It's easy to fall for The Neighbourhood's intoxicating sound, but the immature lyrics fail to sustain the seemingly meaningful vocals. Besides the tracks from their EP, I'm Sorry..., I Love You is much weaker than it should've been.
  11. Disk
    Jul 15, 2014
    6
    Overall, The Neighbourhood’s debut attempt was not bad. They really do have their own creative sound and style. However, they should expand more on these sounds and styles and especially lyrics
  12. hornysoul
    Sep 25, 2018
    8
    Todas as músicas deste álbum autobiográfico são fortes musicalmente e a combinação do indie com o rock, de facto, cria uma sonoridade bastante única que não consegue aborrecer. Os vocais são bons e o ritmo do álbum adicionam qualidade a "I Love You". Uma grande estreia para o mundo do rock alternativo em 2013!
  13. Turbosauce
    Jan 14, 2014
    9
    The Neighbourhood has created a bold composition with an entrancingly haunting soundtrack. Those who are seeking sources of music that aren't of the mainstream with a deeper sense of sound, then look no further than I Love You. There are many deep levels to the sound that overlap in harmony, yet shout in the loudest of voices. This isn't an album that will inspire you, nor is it an albumThe Neighbourhood has created a bold composition with an entrancingly haunting soundtrack. Those who are seeking sources of music that aren't of the mainstream with a deeper sense of sound, then look no further than I Love You. There are many deep levels to the sound that overlap in harmony, yet shout in the loudest of voices. This isn't an album that will inspire you, nor is it an album that will uplift you, but it will capture your attention and force you to open your ears and mind, and listen.… Expand
  14. DiskMagazine
    Jul 23, 2013
    7
    Overall, The Neighbourhood’s debut attempt was not bad. They really do have their own creative sound and style. However, they should expand more on these sounds and styles and especially lyrics
  15. Velocijoey
    Mar 19, 2014
    6
    A sometimes intoxicating album that tricks you into thinking that it could be groundbreaking, but leads to an overly hyped outcome. I'm not saying this album is garbage, and by no means is that the truth, but I just wish that this would've came out years before. Artists such as Vampire Weekend or The XX drown out The Neighbourhood and make them feel obsolete. With all that being said, thisA sometimes intoxicating album that tricks you into thinking that it could be groundbreaking, but leads to an overly hyped outcome. I'm not saying this album is garbage, and by no means is that the truth, but I just wish that this would've came out years before. Artists such as Vampire Weekend or The XX drown out The Neighbourhood and make them feel obsolete. With all that being said, this is still a worthy listen.… Expand
  16. AndradeTheGreat
    Nov 19, 2013
    9
    Incredible album. The instrumentation is just fantastic and the melodies are very catchy. The lyrics could use some work, but I feel like they have a lot room to grow as a band. I'm definitely looking forward to hearing more from this band.
  17. XavierBlaq
    Dec 29, 2013
    5
    Though their EP, I'm Sorry, and hit song, "Sweater Weather," seemed to bode well for this new band, their first full length album is hopefully not the realization of the their potential. As many of the critics and other users have stated, the lyrics on several songs are ultimately too much to take. However, this could be improved upon in the future, and the moodiness of the songs creates aThough their EP, I'm Sorry, and hit song, "Sweater Weather," seemed to bode well for this new band, their first full length album is hopefully not the realization of the their potential. As many of the critics and other users have stated, the lyrics on several songs are ultimately too much to take. However, this could be improved upon in the future, and the moodiness of the songs creates a great atmosphere for the themes explored, even if the lyrics used are too immature. Therefore, I still have hope that this band with a great deal of potential could still deliver on their next album.… Expand
  18. gabrielirwin
    Jun 13, 2015
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Esse album é maravilhoso, a forma com a qual ele foi composto e produzido, as letras das musicas tocam profundamente com aquele que as houve, a melodia é deliciosa de se ouvir e pra mim está tudo perfeito, merecia todo o sucesso e reconhecimento do mundo.… Expand
  19. diegonelli
    Sep 15, 2015
    5
    I dn't know if a boy's singing or a girl is O.o Anyway he has a powerful voice, but the album isn't very good, they're another typical ''indie'' band acclaimed by stupid tumblr girls.
  20. sheiser
    Oct 2, 2015
    10
    This **** is so good. I love this album, because it sets the mood for a nice autumn day and for sweater weather of course. anyway, yea lol, i just wanted to give a rating not review
  21. joaofelin
    Jun 20, 2017
    9
    How - 8
    Afraid - 10
    Everybody's Watching Me (Uh Oh) - 8
    Sweater Weather - 10
    Let It Go - 9
    Alleyways - 8
    W.D.Y.W.F.M? - 8
    Flawless - 9
    Female Robbery - 8
    Staying Up - 8
    Float - 8

    score: 8,5
  22. FruitJuice
    Jul 18, 2017
    6
    it was okay........................................................................................................................................................................
  23. All_ButTrU4
    Nov 15, 2021
    4
    Confusingly vacant. There's no personality just empty scattershot ideas in a blender. It's songs walk the line between annoying and boring continuously having one foot on both sides. The Californian sheen that made "sweater weather " so captivating is brushed off,gone is the break out single's seduction and charisma. It's just self centered ¶noid with the emotional maturity of a preteen.
  24. brooklyngavin
    Aug 28, 2020
    10
    love this album! has so many amazing tracks that i enjoy! one of my favorites!
  25. leogarcia132002
    Nov 25, 2022
    7
    It has a certain monotony and it doesn't usually transcend many songs, but it is an album with a lot of aesthetics.

Awards & Rankings

58
#58 Most Discussed Album of 2013
50
#50 Most Shared Album of 2013

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
48

Mixed or average reviews - based on 8 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 1 out of 8
  2. Mixed: 6 out of 8
  3. Negative: 1 out of 8
  1. PopMatters
    Jun 26, 2013
    50
    Ultimately, I Love You. is an extremely flawed debut with good intentions.
    Read full review
  2. Q Magazine
    May 13, 2013
    40
    Much as their guitars cascade and their lyrics have a dark undertow, there's too much heavy-footed stodginess, notably in the plodding Staying Up, to make them truly engaging. [Jun 2013, p.103]
  3. Los Angeles Times
    Apr 24, 2013
    50
    The band does black and white, but nothing in between.
    Read full review
See all critic reviews »