Christmas came early this year when lead singer of The Neighbourhood announced that he would be releasing his first solo album a couple of weeks ago. The excitement that ensued would be an understatement. The best part was that I didn't have to wait long to hear this masterpiece.

I discovered The Neighbourhood when I first entered college, and they were the first band to introduce me to my love for alternative music. I also listened to (and quickly fell in love with) his solo songs, under the alias The Factoury, that he released on SoundCloud. And while I may be a tad biased, I must say, Jesse Rutherford has one of the most underrated vocals in the music industry. He can sing about anything and still execute it so well.

The day the album released, I knew I had to expect the unexpected from him. It's hard to categorize the overall sound of '&' because each song is so different and unique. This album caters to various music tastes. From the fast paced Barbie & Ken to the dark and playful Blame, there wasn't a song that I didn't love immediately. I think I've gone through a plethora of emotions while listening to this on my way to work. They're all addicting.

With the combination of his lyrics and instrumentals, he brings a certain sexy edginess to the album. You can specifically hear the sultry appeal in Dime & Dog. This song is the epitome of power and dominance. But the last 45 seconds of this song brings unexplainable vibes - you'll just have to listen for yourself to find out what I mean.

The song I found most relatable was IDK. For all the people who feel lost or unsure about where their life is taking them, this song is for you. Jesse takes out all the feelings you find difficult to form into words and turns it into a perfect song. Regardless of how many times I've listened to this song, the melody of this song makes it insatiable to my ears.

Truthfully, I haven't stopped listening to '&' all week, and if being this obsessed with an album is wrong - then I don't want to be right.

Here are some of my favorite lyrics from the album:

- "I'm not tryna be dark but I just got to the part where you stare at the stars and compare what you are to everything all around; wonder what'd it be like if it all came crashing down" // Blame.

- "I'll get creative and come up with ways to be happy (smiling). And you could keep praying but nobody's safe from the end" // Drama.

- "I wish you loved me like she does" // BFF.

I have a strong inkling Jesse has much more in store for him in the future, and I can't wait to see where it takes him next.