Five Seconds of Summer has just recently released their newest album 5SOS5. The newest album is believed to be named after fans on Twitter who continued to refer to the upcoming album as “5sos5” since they weren’t sure what the album would be named. However, 5 Seconds of Summer seemed to have taken the suggestion and essentially allowed the fans to name their fifth studio album. The writing for the album began just a few months after their previous album CALM was released in 2020. The long-awaited album was released on September 23, 2022, and features 19 songs.
The album opens with the first single, “COMPLETE MESS,” which was released on March 2, 2022. The album gives you the opportunity to really appreciate the talent of the band. The vocals of each member stand out in songs and you get the chance to appreciate the amazing lyrics of each track. The album also takes you on an emotional journey. Songs such as “BLENDER” and “Flatline” get you ready to dance and sing along all night, whereas songs such as “Bleach” and “Moodswings” make you want to pull out a box of tissues.
A favorite of mine is “Easy For You To Say,” which seems to be a song about self-reflection. It refers to “a sunrise in Sydney,” where the band is from, and talks a bit about nostalgia. Between the beat from Ashton Irwin’s drums, the guitar from Michael Clifford, Calum Hood’s bass, and Luke Hemming’s vocals, this song is a masterpiece. As the second track from the album, it’s a nice transition between the upbeat intro and the slower, sadder ones to come, including the next track, “Bad Omens.”
The second single, “Take My Hand,” seems to also be about self-reflection, specifically as a band, as it includes lyrics “Shut my eyes right at seventeen,” and later, “Open eyes right at twenty-three,” referring to all that has changed since the band began and where they are now. The song was written by Luke Hemmings and quickly became a fan favorite.
My personal favorite song off the album is “Older,” sung by lead singer Luke Hemmings and his fiancé Sierra Deaton. A beautiful love song by two lovers is precisely what was needed on the album. Some of the lyrics from the song that stuck out to me include;
“My dear devoted delicate” as well as the chorus of the song “I don’t wanna get older / Without your head on my shoulder / On the day that you leave me / I’ll forever be bleeding, love / As forever comes closer / Hope the world will spin slower / I don’t wanna get older / I don’t wanna get older.”
Deaton has worked on other songs with them, but this is the only song where her voice is featured on the album. It’s a standout on the album for many reasons, especially the talent of both vocalists in the song.
“You Don’t Go To Parties” is the ninth track on the album and really showcases drummer Ashton Irwin’s voice. Irwin typically doesn’t have solos in songs, however, he has an amazing voice and it’s really shown in this track. As a vocalist and drummer, Irwin has exceptional talent. He worked with Hood, as well as Doc Brittain and Elijah Noll, to write this track for the album, and it’s another one that stands out to me. While it’s catchy and upbeat, the lyrics are actually quite sad. The drumming in the song is absolutely amazing, and you get the chance to hear the harmonies between members, as well as their solos.
Track 14, “Red Line,” has some of my favorite lyrics from the album.
“Cause I’ve been spending all this time alone / I’m on the red line, / Sinking Aperol / Another vessel in a winter coat / Am I just waiting for my time to go?”
The lyrics stand out to me because there is a bit of a shift from earlier in the song. The addition of the lyrics “Am I just waiting for my time to go” is what caught my attention. As the song comes to an end, I think it does a great job of capturing the meaning of the song and allows listeners to really see the shift throughout the song.
The song follows track 13, “Bleach,” which seems to be about trying to move on from someone and watching them move on from you. It’s one that you have to just sit and listen to because it’s so beautiful. The use of “bleach” to essentially mean moving on and starting over is one that stands out because it’s so unique yet works so well with the song, as well as the rest of the album.
I absolutely love this album and will have it on repeat for the next month. As someone who has always been a fan of 5sos, it’s amazing seeing the growth they’ve had as a band. The album really showcases each member’s talents. You can see how the band has changed over time but can also see how they have stayed true to their pop-punk roots in some songs. Each member had a moment to shine with their vocals, as well as with their instruments and production, which Michael Clifford worked on for this album. This album is one that I’d recommend to anyone. It has beautiful lyrics that tell stories and draw emotions from the listener. Taking the time to really appreciate all that went into the album has given me a chance to really understand the excitement fans have about this album.