Toronto group The Neighbourhood Watch’s story-driven blend of folk and indie rock clearly touched a nerve when they released their album Community Protected (2017). The album was a kind of anthology: a collection of songs about the dissolution of family, the philosophical angst of turning seventeen, and what it feels like to get a bit too high for your own good. Without any sort of label or industry support, the album racked up 10 million+ streams and became the main soundtrack for the indie film Midnight at the Paradise (2022). The DIY release laid the groundwork for the band’s future success.

The Neighbourhood Watch’s new single, “Spoke Like Summer,” is a string-arranged (done by Brendan Thomas) ballad and performed by him alongside Madeleine Kay on violin – it’s truly the kind of lush, romantic, string arrangement that you don’t get enough of these days. The song is inspired by the feeling of falling in love after coming out of a dark place, and the joy of building a future with someone.

Every year in Montreal the first real day of summer is magnificent. It’s like everyone has come out of their hibernation and is breathing life again. It’s a magical feeling, and [we] wanted to capture it—because it feels just like falling in love for the first time. 

– The Neighbourhood Watch