Album Review: 5SOS5 by 5 Seconds of Summer
5 Seconds of Summer (or 5SOS) consisting of Luke Hemmings (Vocals, Guitar), Michael Clifford (Lead Guitar, Vocals), Calum Hood (Bass, Vocals), and Ashton Irwin (Drums) recently released their 5th studio album; 5SOS5. Debuted in a “One Night Only” performance at Royal Albert Hall in London, and their first album release following the group’s 10 year anniversary, 5SOS5 reflects on the group’s growth and proves that they’re just as good as ever.
‘COMPLETE MESS’ is the album’s lead single, and first music released during the pandemic. Described by the band in an interview with extratv as about “that simple, universal feeling of feeling a complete mess without someone, but feeling complete with them”, the track portrays this feeling with a light, delicate guitar line that eclipses into a triumphant chorus, singing out “Oh, you make me complete, you make me complete, you make me a complete mess.”
“Easy For You To Say,” which premiered on their ‘Take My Hand World Tour’, touches on reflecting and growing from past mistakes and alludes to the group’s early fame (having become massively successful at a young age) with the lyrics “With every tomorrow, keep turnin’ the page / A youth that was stolen and filled with mistakes”. The track is uplifting, making listeners feel as if they are floating upwards along with Hemmings’ vocals as he sings “I’m scared to find, a piece of peace of mind / I swear to you, each and every time, I’ll try to change my ways”.
“Bad Omens” explains the feelings of losing someone to another relationship, but pretending like everything is fine, outlined in the track with the lyrics “I died when you left that night for the thousandth time, ‘cause you love somebody else / can’t help the way I keep ignoring every omen”. The track is energetic, and leaves you feeling like you want to jump around your room, inevitably building to a solemn ending featuring vocalization from Hemmings.
The third single released prior to the album, “Me Myself & I,” expresses feelings of regret towards ending a relationship, and shows a growing feeling of loneliness. Hemmings is joined by Hood for harmonies that sound ethereal, giving the audience goosebumps with every line. Singing “I guess, I guess I got what I wanted / I did not need your help, Now it’s just me, myself and I” to a moving instrumental backdrop aided by Irwin and Clifford.
The namesake of their 2022 World Tour, “Take My Hand” is an introspective reflection on who you are as a person while pursuing a relationship with someone. As Hemmings sings “Take my hand, now and forever / Where I stand, just as you’re losing yourself again, look in the mirror”, the track takes listeners through an emotional whirlwind. The song ramps up as the group descends into the bridge, declaring “Shallow hearts for shallow minds, that ache to be alive / You fall apart and redefine what keeps you up at night”. A special outro accompanies the track on the album; a demo of an early draft of the song from the group’s trip to Joshua Tree. A trip that spurred the inspiration for this album.
Starting as a light pop track that accelerates to ooze with swagger, “CAROUSEL” is perfect for summer days driving down a highway. The track uses a deceptively exciting, playful analogy (one of a circus or carnival) to describe the chaos of life, hiding deep, meaningful lyrics like “I try to keep my head above the ocean of my doubt / My life’s just a carousel spinnin’ around'' behind upbeat, moving drums and enduring guitar riffs. The song is described in an interview with DORK magazine as one that “echoes a similar sentiment” to earlier track ‘Take My Hand’ when it comes to “delving into the chaos”, but is separated by the idea that they “have no intention of stopping”.
“Older” has Hemmings joined by his fiance, Sierra Deaton, for a beautiful duet celebrating the desire to grow old with your lover. A stripped down track with a simple piano line and laid back drum track, all of the focus is on the couple’s captivating vocals as they sing “I don’t wanna get older, without your head on my shoulder / As forever comes closer, hope the world spins slower”. Deaton stated in an instagram post that the song is “one of the most special records” she’s ever worked on, explaining that it serves as an “ode to 50’s love songs”, evident in the instrumental solo towards the end of the track which features suave, retro trumpets to close out this tender love song.
“HAZE” has the group turning to a tried and true indie-pop sound enhanced by magical, punctuating synths and keyboard lines. The track explores the ‘haze’ and confusion that being in love with someone often brings. Hood takes the reigns for the chorus of this song, singing “Got me feelin’ alright when the feeling’s all gone, got me feelin’ uptight every moment you’re gone / It’s a hell of a ride, lovin you”. Accompanied by Hemmings and Irwin alternating for the verses, HAZE is a true group effort.
“You Don’t Go To Parties” touches on the feeling of missing the presence of someone you’ve lost and reminiscing on the good times. A song that features Hood on lead vocals as he sings “I wonder who I’m looking for, cause you don’t go to parties anymore”, also features Irwin singing the strong, jarring, pre chorus, belting “Caught up in distractions, fatal attractions” in the build up to an equally strong chorus.
The fourth single off of 5SOS5, 5 Seconds of Summer shocked fans with the surprise release of “BLENDER” after premiering it on their ‘Take My Hand World Tour’. A driving drumline and sick retro synths combine with lyrics detailing emotional turmoil to perfectly convey a chaotic, uncertain mindset and set the track apart from the rest of the album as the group declares “all the things you said, in my head, ricocheting on the bed, nothing left, what a mess / now we’re going ‘round again in an emotional blender”.
A light, groovy track emphasized by Hood’s moving basslines, “Caramel” is as smooth and rich as its namesake. Described as a favorite of the group’s, the track details the difficulties sustaining a long term relationship while keeping the “spark” that made you fall in love in the first place. Headed by Hemmings and Irwin, the two sing “It used to be easy, now you can’t even look me in the eye / A visceral feeling that I can never leave behind”. In their Spotify commentary accompanying the track, 5SOS explains that “Caramel” has “everything you want in a 5SOS song: crazy guitar lead, cool rhythm section with acoustic, vocal harmonies, and a really beautiful concept”.
“Best Friends” is an ode to the group’s decade long friendship, and a joyful expression of the purest form of love. A driving drum track and exciting guitar line accompanies this track as the group declares: “I got the best friends in this place and I’m holding on”. The group explains in their Spotify commentary that they wanted to tell the “story of what friendship can be like to other people, but also what friendship is like to [them] personally.” “Best Friends” is described as “super high energy” and “full of love”.
“Bleach” describes starting anew after a relationship falls apart. 5SOS uses bleach as a metaphor for scrubbing yourself/your life clean from past mistakes in this delicate track. The group places heavy emphasis on their solid, impactful vocals with a light, barely-there instrumental track as they sing “If there’s bleach in the hallways, I can start over / till I figured out, living without you.”
Closing out the standard album, “Red Line” serves as not only a melancholic reflection on the band’s path as a group over the years, but tells the story of a tumultuous relationship as they sing “How many times did we run from each other? How many times did I walk out the door?”. Accompanied by a light but pulsing combination of keys, guitar, and rhythm, the song closes out with a soft piano solo, before the sound of train doors closing - an ode to the group’s time spent in London in their early years. “We used to catch the Red Line in London to go to all of our songwriting sessions,” they explain in their Spotify commentary, “It’s melancholic - we’re all on this train of life.”
Bonus tracks “Moodswings,” “Flatline,” “Bloodhound,” and “TEARS!” see the group taking a darker, edgier turn in their sound, while “Emotions” is a stripped down track featuring just Clifford singing accompanied by a fairly simple guitar line and drum track.
5SOS5 oozes with a unique nostalgia and emotion that fans have grown accustomed to over the years, but with a fresh, new sound for the group. The album is a collection of powerful, meaningful tracks that blend together to form the perfect love letter to the group’s long history together.
5SOS5 is out now on all streaming platforms.
