5SOS5, the fifth studio album from Australian pop band 5 Seconds of Summer, demonstrates what fans have been begging the public to realize: It’s time to take 5SOS seriously.
As a college sophomore, I almost feel silly thinking about how I’ve stuck with this band since sixth grade. I’ve been a part of every one of their album releases, complete with 10 years worth of inside jokes and memories. This is definitely why the release of 5SOS5 means so much to me — because it symbolizes another era of my life where I’ve grown alongside 5 Seconds of Summer and their music.
This album symbolizes less of an “aging out” of the alternative-rock sound of Sounds Good Feels Good or the electronic pop of Youngblood, but rather growing into a pop-alternative phase. The 19-track set list begins with “Complete Mess,” the album’s first single and 5SOS’s first independently written and produced song. “Complete Mess” gives just a taste of their new sound: sophisticated pop driven by engaging production.
“Bad Omens” emphasizes 5SOS’s growth and quickly solidifies its spot as one of 5SOS’s best songs. This track warns us that we typically ignore the “bad omens” of a relationship in the name of love. The subtle guitar that supports Luke Hemmings, the lead vocalist and guitarist, showcases the band’s musical intelligence when it comes to arranging and producing music (as a majority of the album was produced by the band’s lead guitarist, Michael Clifford). The song’s instrumental build — the continuous addition of Ashton Irwin’s drums and Clifford’s recurring guitar riff — climaxes with repeating lyrics and grandiose production, shattering listeners’ ceiling-high expectations.
“CAROUSEL” begins with a pounding, heartbeat-like percussion, emphasizing how overwhelming self-inflicted expectations can be. Ambiguous lyrics like, “Looking for myself in the passenger side / Driving to the edge ‘til I get this right,” let us connect to the chorus in our own way. “Best Friends,” “CAROUSEL”’s optimistic opposite, emphasizes the beauty of platonic friendship with an upbeat rhythm and heartwarming lyrics like, “And I love to love you, for God’s sake.”
5SOS5 delicately balances their older and more familiar sound with new musical influences and experimentation. The explosive vocals in “Moodswings,” an ode to 5SOS’s alternative stage, deliver nostalgia to the fans while the rotating vocalists in “TEARS!” pleasantly feature bassist Calum Hood and Irwin’s vocals (who haven’t been vocally highlighted since 5SOS’s self-titled album). “HAZE” and its floaty, rhythmic melody draws inspiration from the indie-pop band Two Door Cinema Club, while “Blender”’s groovy bassline has evident influence from the new wave band, Police. Their experimentation leads to creative musical risks. The synth-pop and funk influence in the chorus of “Caramel” introduces a new style on 5SOS5, while “Take My Hand – Joshua Tree Version,” showcases post-recording production creativity through its intimate, faded telephone-esque ending.
5SOS5 justifies that 5 Seconds of Summer isn’t just successful because they got lucky with a few radio hits, or because they’re a conventionally attractive boyband. Their cohesive songwriting and creative melodies stay comfortably constant, and the risks the band takes with production and instrumental experimentation allow for their growth as a musical artist — and guarantees an ever-changing discography.
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