Album Review: 5 Seconds of Summer - 5SOS5
Dive into some of the tracks from the new 5SOS album, 5SOS5.
By Reegan Johnson
Photo: @5sos via Instagram
Releasing their fifth studio album in late September, 5 Seconds of Summer (5sos), gives a good sense of their overall sound in this project.
The Australian pop punk band got their start in early 2011 and have been a hit ever since, totalling over 7 billion streams on all streaming platforms, selling more than 10 million albums and selling over 2 million concert tickets, and making them one of the most successful music acts to come from Australia.
Their newest release, 5SOS5 is a mature and cohesive sound that further improves the discography that Ashton Irwin, Luke Hemmings, Michael Clifford, and Calum Hood have been building on since their early band days.
Beginning with the first track COMPLETE MESS, is the perfect track to open the album. The lead singer Luke Hemmings begins with the lyric “Caught up in Heaven, but your Heaven ain't the same”, and completely captures the feeling of how someone can make you feel full while simultaneously driving you crazy at the same time. The chorus showcases their impressive songwriting with the contrasting lyrics “Oh you make me complete/ you make me a complete mess”. The group's songwriting capabilities have only improved since their beginner stages.
Fans who got to experience 5sos live on their Take Me Home tour were excited to hear the studio version of Easy For You to Say where they performed the unreleased version. This track is a slow ballad that expresses a lot of emotion to their audience. 5sos is not new to writing a gut-wrenching ballad, with their hit song Amnesia, getting everyone ages 12-18 in their feels in 2014. Older ft. Sierra Deaton is an unforgettable duet. Both tracks take the audience for an emotional ride, but again highlighting the bands and Luke Hemmings ability to make their audience feel exactly what they are feeling.
Bad Omens [Omen: an occurrence or phenomenon believed to predict a future event. Don’t worry, I didn’t know either.] has a slow start that shocked me with the pre chorus and chorus. It's such an upbeat song, but the lyrics are relatable. Ignoring the signs that a relationship is over in an attempt to salvage it is something that everyone can relate to at one point or another. [Guilty as charged.] Both tracks take the audience for an emotional ride, but again highlighting the bands and Luke Hemmings ability to make their audience feel exactly what they are feeling.
Check out the official Bad Omens music video here:
Me Myself & I is one of the boldest tracks on the album. Anger takes over in this song with this sing-your-frustration-out chorus. Anger knowing you're the only one to blame for your situation and now you're stuck in your own mind. The lyric “All these broken hearts, but mine’s the one bleeding” has similar imagery as their 2019 single Teeth with the line, “Blood on my shirt, heart in my hand/ Still beating”.
Track 5 shows more of a reflective side of the group. “Breaking plans on a Sunday /With myself, maybe make some peace” is a direct contrast of their single Kiss Me Kiss Me and its lyric, “Can I call, wake you up on a Sunday?/ Late night, I think we need a getaway”. While Kiss Me Kiss Me is definitely more of an outgoing song, Take My Hand- Joshua Tree Version is definitely more of an apology. It proves that they no longer need the company of others, they are finding their own sense of self worth and inner peace.
With an astounding 19 tracks, the album comes to a close with TEARS! (Japan Exclusive), with vocals mostly performed by Irwin. While the song has a dark undertone with the lyrics “Diamonds turn to puddles, no one's feelin' what I'm feeling, /Violence in the darkness, are you seein' what I'm seein'?”, it carries a powerful punch with the back track and beat. It is a great ending to the album with the perfect amount of intensity.
The album brings a refreshing point of view to the band's discography, while simultaneously revisiting ideas from past tracks that fans loved so much. It makes for a nostalgic yet restoring feeling, that I hope all the fans feel when listening.
