Photo credit: Sarah Eiseman

5 Seconds Of Summer’s brand new album CALM is finally here – this record comes as a follow up to their critically acclaimed 2018 album Youngblood, which showed the Aussies taking a step away from the pop-punk sound to a more cultivating sound. Youngblood featured songs that were unquestionably still pop, but the live instruments were still essential to their sound. While CALM continues to show this side of the band, it also touches on places that Youngblood did not come close to.

The album kicks off with “Red Desert” – its harmonious and almost acapella intro gives off the impression that the band recorded it in an empty grand ballroom. The rhythm then begins to pick up – giving us the best of Calum Hood [bass] and Ashton Irwin [drums]. “Red Desert” immediately draws in the listener and enraptures them for the rest of the track. The song wakes you up – respectfully with the lyrics that frontman, Luke Hemmings, flawlessly belts “I’ve been asleep so long, I’m so far away.” 

“No Shame” was one of five previously released songs before the album dropped. This track is just as captivating as the first – it begins with Michael Clifford’s somber guitars, then Hood and Irwin join in to build the climax leading up to the chorus. The song is undeniably catchy, and roasts our generation’s obsession with fame and fortune – listing the things we would do to get it. The song’s thoughtful lyrics, “I only light up when cameras are flashing”, accompany a video that exposes the truth the four best friends know oh so much about – how we’ve become consumed by our use of social media.

The third track of the album, “Old Me,” is another previous release that the band gave fans along with a nostalgic video. It makes sense for a band to pay tribute to their past selves, since they were thrown into the spotlight at such a young age – forced to find themselves while traveling the world and experiencing things that only a normal teenager could over ever dream of. The R&B-leaning song mentions the value of mistakes, and sticking to your roots. The song is for the band, but the video is for the fans who have stuck around since their Somewhere New days. 

The fan favorites, though, come later in the record. “Wildflower” is solely Hood’s warm vocals – the swooning Hood stans were crazed with emotion when the band gave them this song two days before the album drop. This incredibly summery song gives listeners the feeling of wanting to fall in love during the hot months – hopefully not trapped inside during a pandemic crisis, and in the arms of a lover. 

The next few tracks really put you in your feels, because of the emotion showcasing the bands best, colorful, affectionate, self-contemplating lyrics. “Best Years” is a heartfelt ballad about a romantic relationship, that mentions “you got a million reasons to hesitate,” but encourages that “darling the future’s better than yesterday.” It paints a picture of the relationship in question, but will stick with fans who have grown up with the band, watching them grow from different relationships. Clifford’s fiance Crystal Leigh jokingly(?) mentioned she would love to have this track as their wedding song – fans definitely agree on this one, hoping she was serious!

“Not In The Same Way” is one of the more upbeat tracks on CALM, filled to the brim with harmonies and a masterly rhythmic mid-section. The song is about an unrequited love, which is perfectly depicted in the lyrics “You say, ‘Go,’ I won’t leave / I love you, you love me / But not in the same way / Rip my heart out and leave,” sung by Hemmings’ passionate vocals. As a personal favorite, this song is going to be incredible when it’s played live on their No Shame Tour this fall. 

The sorrowful song “Lover Of Mine” contains downbeat acoustic guitars, and stirring vocals. Hemmings sings the chorus “When I take a look at my life and all of my crimes / you’re the only thing that I think I got right” – a gorgeous lyric, and is sung with such profoundness that it feels fresh. This track was respectfully co-written by Hemmings’ beautiful girlfriend, Sierra Deaton. 

“Thin White Lies” is an unhappy and dispirited track, with the lyrics, “I don’t think I like me anymore” and is calling for “someone [to] tell me who I was before.” This heart-wrenching track stands out both lyrically and sonically. 

This magnificent pop record, from beginning to end, contains not one single filler track. Each track is distinct and unique in its own way, showing off 5SOS’s stunning range. CALM ends with “High,” a captivatingly underrated and thoughtful track – sorrowful but a glimmer of hope shines through the lyrics. CALM promises a song for every mood, now you just have to listen and find your track that best suits you.