No one is doing pop-rock like 5 Second of Summer, and their latest album CALM is a testament to that.
Fittingly titled as an acronym for its members (Calum Hood, Ashton Irwin, Luke Hemmings, and Michael Clifford), CALM is extremely personal. It covers everything from relationships to the struggles of fame, coming together to form an overall expression of not only the band’s collective artistic journey but their individual ones as well.
CALM opens with “Red Desert,” which is all about their love for their homeland Australia and how even though they all live in America now, they still find refuge in it. It combines minimal guitar, smooth harmonies, and incredible drumming from Irwin to make an unflawed introduction to the album. It’s unique- not exactly as radio-friendly as the previously released single “No Shame,” which is why it’s the ideal first track (and Hemmings referred to it as “the best song ever written and recorded”). Then comes “No Shame,” blending a lighthearted sound with the deeper message of how toxic and common fame and attention-seeking is in today’s society; “diggin’ my grave to get a reaction/changin’ my face and callin’ it fashion/got no shame/I love the way you’re screaming my name.” Lead singer Hemmings told Apple Music “I think we made it clear that although it is kind of a snapshot of how we see society and how a lot of people can see it, that we’re all a part of it and we’re not pointing a finger at people. Everything is online.”
Then comes “Old Me,” a tribute to “how it all began, the twists and turns in between, and where we are today.” The music video, which was filmed in their hometown Sydney, Australia, features recreations of key moments in their career as well as footage from their first gigs. Relationship problems are detailed in the preceding tracks “Teeth” and “Easier,” which are pure pop-punk perfection. Both have infectious beats (especially Hood’s heavy bassline in “Teeth”), with “Teeth” having a darker, more synth-like sound.
“Wildflower” is much more light and upbeat than the other singles from CALM. Hood told Rolling Stone “We wanted to make the chorus kind of a choose-your-own-adventure, where some words are left out and then accentuated by these big stabs of synth. It lets everyone come up with their own interpretation and fill in whatever they think those missing lyrics might be,” referencing the lyrics “you’re the only one that makes me/Every time we.” “Wildflower” makes you want to get up and dance, and is in high standing to be the song of the summer. “Best Years,” an apology song from the narrator to their partner for putting them through trouble and a promise for making the future, well, “the best years.” It’s a beautiful love song featuring silky guitar that guitarist Clifford and his fiancé Crystal Leigh even said during an Instagram Live was in consideration for their wedding song. “Not In The Same Way,” “Thin White Lies,” and “Lonely Heart” mix their old pop/punk/rock sound with a more modern, experimental one. “Lover Of Mine,” another one of my top picks, was written by Luke Hemmings and Sierra Deaton, a musician who also happens to be Hemming’s girlfriend, increasing the romantic quality of the song. It merges their beautifully written lyrics with sweeping piano, guitar, and bass, producing a dreamlike sound. CALM ends with the self-reflective “High.” Hemming’s vocals when he sings “high” and “highly” are probably what you would hear at the gates of heaven. While it’s slower than its predecessors, it’s catchy and haunting nonetheless.
5 Seconds of Summer have come a long way since 2014’s bandanas, lip rings, and songs about pizza, and if you thought they proved that with 2018’s Youngblood, CALM is on a whole other level. They’re growing with their fans, and I can’t wait to see what they do next.