The band 5 Seconds of Summer released their fifth studio album on September 3rd, 2022.  Luke Hemmings (lead vocals), Calum Hood (bass guitar), Michael Clifford (guitar), and Ashton Irwin (drum kit) used their collaborative skills and let the creative juices flow, giving us 5SOS5.

The album cover illustrates four male figures falling from the sky. The editing is pretty basic, which makes it seem like not a lot of effort was put into it.  The color scheme could be viewed as a metaphor for growing and transitioning in life.

The album starts off with the track “Complete Mess.”  The beginning of the song starts off with Hood on the bass,  whilst he utilizes the low and high strings to create a sort of chord.  Throughout the song, an electronic texture playing in the back adds a really intricate and unique sound to the song.  This song talks about the absence of a loved one, causing the narrator to fall apart without them. The message refers to mourning the end of a relationship, knowing it was your fault.  Despite the sad nature of the song, the theme of the song properly welcomes the listener into the album.  

“Easy For You To Say” appears as the second song on the album, but it is not up to par with the other tracks.  The melody and the verse lack variation, which gets very old halfway through the song.  The pre-chorus saves the song by sweeping it up into a different tune and leads to the smooth vocals in the chorus.  

The next track, “Bad Omens,” starts off with a cool synthesis texture and white noise. The pre-chorus climbs perfectly and sets up the screaming in the chorus very nicely. In between the chorus and second verse, there is a little riff that scratches my brain perfectly. The song ends with the addition of a choir that lifts the song onto another level.  The song is about seeing past your partner’s bad omens or red flags, which is an imaginative and creative concept for a song, especially these days. 

The borderline-perfect song “Me Myself & I” appears fourth on the album’s tracklist.  The guitar automatically chokes me up.  Hemmings’ raspy vocal and the rising melody create such a real and pure sound.  The post-chorus reminds me of some of Coldplay’s more recent hits.

 Joshua Tree, CA is featured on the fifth track, “Take My Hand.”  This song is one of my least favorites on the album due to its basic sound and repetitive nature.  The beat and lyrics continuously get old, and it does not grab my attention compared to the other songs.

“Carousel” shows off the astounding falsetto of Hemmings and the mesmerizing drums in the chorus. The only really noteworthy moment of the song is the instrumental breakdown halfway through the song.

Sierra Deaton, Hemmings’ fiance, is featured on the track “Older.”  This is by far the saddest song on the album. The vocals aren’t perfectly synced, which makes it feel like they sat down and sang right next to each other.  The lyrics are cute and romantic but also simple. The lyrics talk about wanting to grow older with your significant other and watch each other live a happy life.  

“Haze” includes effortless flow and Hemmings’ vocal strengths. The song sounds like a summer drive with friends, perfect for making valuable memories.  The whole vibe of the song makes it an excellent soundtrack to summer.

“You Don’t Go To Parties” is written poorly compared to the other songs in the album. The instrumental breaks are the only aspect that saves the song.  I would skip this song, enjoying the rest of 5SOS5 instead.

The groovy bass line and pre-chorus create a powerful feeling in the song “Blender.”  This song is a perfect evolution of all of the singles in their discography.  

“Caramel” displays the many talents of the various band members.  In the chorus, Hemmings hits high notes. He then hits even higher notes after the melody of the song, showcasing his flawless falsetto.

The track “Best Friends” starts abruptly with Hemmings speaking quickly, providing a pulsating rhythm.  The chorus walks the line between being catchy and overly annoying, as the melodies often get repetitive and boring. The lyrics are very sweet and make me feel grateful to have friends with me in life.  The energy brought in the end leads to what can only be described as cathartic release.

“Bleach” begins with atmospheric textures, reminding me of Jeremy Zucker and making me feel like I’m floating above the earth.  Hemmings whisper sings at the beginning, which adds to the peaceful atmosphere aesthetic of the song.

“Red Line,” the final song, alludes to the train the boys used to take to go record their studio sessions.  Clifford starts off the song with a high guitar riff.  The middle of the song is nothing notable, but the outro is very unique.  It ends with a bunch of random noises slowing down and the audio of a train door closing.

The overall production of the album is my favorite aspect.  While its front half is definitely more noteworthy and memorable than the back,  5SOS5 has a nostalgic feel with modern twists, sure to excite music fanatics everywhere.