5 Seconds of Summer’s CALM is the perfect anthem for their growth
By Rocío Fortuny
The Australian pop-producing rock band 5 Seconds of Summer released their fourth studio album on Friday, March 27th. The album has already topped U.K. charts ahead of Dua Lipa, who released her latest album on the same day. While the Aussies still identify with the punk-rock spirit, in CALM they were able to produce their most diverse and experimental sounds so far.
Singer Luke Hemmings, bassist Calum Hood, guitarist Michael Clifford and drummer Ashton Irwin put growth, both musically and personally, on the table. The album shows raw vocals, simple yet impactful storytelling in their lyrics and an impressively wide range of sounds. The listening experience is worthwhile, especially for the young adult – they are in the same life stage as the band.
Hemmings outdid himself, expanding his vocal range and showing what he’s capable of. In “Lover of Mine,” which he co-wrote with his girlfriend Sierra Deaton, the musically simple chorus allowed him to display his ability. As Hemmings sings “When I take a look at my life and all of my crimes, You're the only thing that I think I got right” he proved his vocal control. Alike, his falsetto throughout “Easier” is equally beautiful.
5SOS, their abbreviated name, told their stories with detailed and raw lyrics. There are songs like “No Shame,” which speaks of the fakeness of the online world where we live in and are complacent with. There are also songs like “Old Me,” where they say “Shout out to the old me and everything you showed me, Had to fuck it up before I let you get to know me.” Here, they are accepting that they made mistakes they’re not proud of, but if it wasn’t for those mistakes they wouldn’t be the people they are today.
CALM really was a place for the band to experiment with new and different styles and sounds that they hadn’t done before. In “Red Desert”, they worked with lots of harmonization, creating a powerful song. “Teeth” is their most classically punk-rock sound so far, with a powerful guitar and bass driving the song. “Wildflower” with its happy and upbeat sound is a big contrast with 5SOS’ latest album, Youngblood (2018).
While the band dedicates many of their songs to failed loves in what could have been a cliché, each song is able to stand alone and be special for one reason or another. “Best Years,” calm and honest, is able to bring the listener into the heart of the singer. Soft music accompanied with heartfelt lyrics make you understand the singer’s regret, as he says “You did all these things for me when I was half a man for you.”
With CALM the Aussies took the chance to show their artistic growth, which went hand in hand with them becoming men. This is a beautiful and relatable album full of new sounds executed seamlessly.
Listen to the full album CALM here.