Alternative rock band Hot Hot Neighbros (辣鄰居) has released their first-ever full length eponymous album Hot Hot Neighbros, marking a return for the band as they create a vivid and rich narrative documenting their inspirations from daily things and life in the album. Before the album’s release, the band also released five singles which have performed well on the charts on StreetVoice, marking a strong start for the up-and-coming act.
The Taiwanese band was formed in 2019 by previous members of the disbanded rock band Mofo Party (脫序派對) – vocalist Che-Kang Hsu (許哲綱) and guitarists Danny Chen (陳弼凡) and Ray Chung (鐘悠瑞) – alongside newcomers bassist Cheng-Jin Lin (林承瑨) and drummer Hsin-Chan Ho (何信展).
Bringing together two generations of music to mark a triumphant return
In 2015, after the members of Mofo Party graduated from college, the individual members went on with their lives. Facing the pressures of society, the band had to disband, but the passion for music burns on. In 2019, vocalist Che-Kang brought back his two bandmates Danny and Ray to start a new band, with Danny changing his expertise from the drums to the guitar.
Speaking about the experience of looking for new bandmates, Danny shared: “So many people were turned away the moment they heard that they would have to sign a contract. In 2019, most rock band people from our time had either already made it, or had left the scene, so we decided to look out for two young bandmates instead, and see what sparks we can create with a band formed from two generations!”
Inspirations from daily life and Covid-19 setbacks
The band’s name “Hot Hot Neighbros” can be split into two parts, where “hot”, also interpreted as “spicy”, refers to the band’s inclination towards the unique, interesting and mysterious subjects and topics when it comes to the music they create. While “neighbros”, or “neighbours”, signifies the band’s role as observers of the society around them. The band’s inspirations come from the stories found all around us, and reflects the frustration and struggles of the everyday person towards society.
Hot Hot Neighbros began uploading their original works to online platforms since 2022, with their relatable singles quickly resonating with fans, and they were slated to make their debut performance at the 2022 Taiwan Music Festival in Kenting, Taiwan. Unfortunately, this performance, which they prepared so long for, was cancelled due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
The band reflected on this, saying:“That was a really disappointing experience. Back then, we had already travelled all the way from Taipei to Pingtung before we received the news that the event would be cancelled. We were so disappointed and had to find solace in a delicious Korean barbecue meal! Once we returned to Taipei, we immediately began working on our album.”
On their first album Hot Hot Neighbros, the band invited Cosmos People (宇宙人) drummer Cheng-Yun Tang (唐承運) to serve as producer, and up-and-coming R&B singer Sabrina Lo (羅莎莎) to provide lead vocal guidance, resulting in a nine-track album that reflects realistic and compelling stories that Hot Hot Neighbros explore through their own unique lenses, documenting the moments of love, hate, tragedy, separation and hope that we so often see around us.
In the opening track ‘Good Man Clay’ (大俠吳百萬), the band explores the life of a fictional character from a third-person perspective, telling a story about the journey of an everyman striving for achievements in life, but having to pay the price for his successes each time. While the song is upbeat and sounds optimistic, the underlying messages are dark and heavy.
‘Spell Of Blind Heart’ (盲行咒) describes human desire as a spell that takes over the mind and controls the individual, and also goes into topics such as mental illness and suicide. In the soothing ‘Ain’t Gonna Learn’ (我學不來), we learn of a relationship between two people of unequal social statuses and the pain and sadness that comes with it.
To achieve the sound and spirit that they have in mind for the album, Hot Hot Neighbros chose to record the album at the legendary Platinum Studio in Taipei, where the best albums of the 80s and 90s era were recorded. They have also released a vinyl version of the album for passionate collectors and fans.
After a long two year wait, Hot Hot Neighbros are finally releasing their first album, and they admit that they wouldn’t have it any other way: “Slow and steady work leads to the most detailed results. Our final product is something that all our members are satisfied with, and we can’t wait to share it with everyone!”
Hot Hot Neighbros’ first full-length album Hot Hot Neighbros is now available across all digital streaming platforms. For more information regarding the band, please follow them on Facebook and Instagram.
