5SOS5

Week 47: 5 Seconds of Summer- Everyone’s a Star! (Fully Evolved)

~ honestopinions19 ~ Leave a comment

No need for an introduction, as I already did “CALM”, the album named after all the members’ first names. So, onto 5 Seconds of Summer’s sixth studio record, “Everyone’s a Star!”. This effort features pop-rock, electronica, and electro-punk over reflective lyrics. The album screams confidence with its identity. It may be modern, but it still has the emotional element of the band and their melodic instincts. Now, I listened to the “Full Evolved” version, which is the equivalent of a deluxe edition, featuring songs centred around specific members and therefore giving it an even more personal listen.

As you know, I reviewed ‘CALM” and this album feels like a combination between that and “5SOS5”. Why? because “CALM” had atmospheric experimentation, and “5SOS5” was more crispy pop. The production features tight percussion, clean vocal layering, synth-heavy soundscapes, and is wrapped in personal subjects such as burnout, insomnia, self-image, and vulnerability.

The emotional element is what makes the record strong. Although there are upbeat tracks, they still have undertones of reflection. The likes of The Smiths and Oasis are known for putting melancholic lyricism over upbeat instrumentation, so they have adopted this approach.

Let us have a look at the standout tracks and give them a kind of track-by-track review. I will also include my standouts from the “Fully Evolved” section, but not explain why. I will leave it up to you to figure out:

NOT OK:


The key track that blends vulnerability with a cinematic hook. The listener will resonate with the theme, as the lyrics express… well. The title says it all.

Boyband:


The lads take a comedic approach to being labelled a boy band since they first burst onto the scene with pop-punk, which is a welcome break from the melancholy on the album.

Telephone Busy:


One of my complaints, which I will highlight in due course, is how short the tracks are, and this is a case in point. A pop track aimed at TikTok viewers, who, let us face it, have a short attention span. A polished earmworm track to say the least.

I’m Scared I’ll Never Sleep Again:


A track addressing the band’s struggle with insomnia, and a slower pace to the majority of the rest of the record. This vulnerable, atmospheric track features a sublime arrangement over emotionally powerful lyrics that will move the listener.

The Rocks:


Gritty and raw, and a great way to end the album. A quintessential 5SOS track.

“Fully Evolved” highlights: ’Start Over’, ‘Wishful Dreaming’, ‘Cool Dad’:


The “Fully Evolved” edition is the most intimate . The tracks, as I mentioned earlier, are specific to each member and therefore more personal, and sound less polished than the majority of the tracks, which, in my opinion, works as a healthy balance. It is also great to see each member tell their own personal stories.

Now, onto something else I mentioned before, and that is how short the tracks are:


Yes, I am impressed by how the themes all tie into the album, but the shortness of the tracks is an obvious drawback.

The standard edition is just over 36 minutes, whereas the “Fully Evolved” edition weighs in at just over 49 minutes, making the listening time that little bit longer. However, most of the tracks are just finding their feet before they come to an end. Bridges, and outros are too short, and some of the songs never reach their entire journeys. This could be achieved by adding more verses or extending the bridges.

Yeah, it does not ruin the listening experience, but on certain tracks, they could have been extended to enhance it. “Fully Evolved” compensates for the brief listen of the standard edition, so I would recommend opting for the “Fully Evolved” edition.

So, my recommendation for ‘Everyone’s a Star!” is the “Fully Evolved” edition. It is emotionally honest, polished, and fits into their wall-of-sound aesthetic. The standard edition is a mixture of pop and vulnerability, and the “Fully Evolved” edition tracks are far from filler, as they take you on a genuinely personal journey of each member.

And once again, let us talk about where the record falls down. The shortness of the tracks. You want to hear more lyricism or instrumentation before they reach their conclusion. The tracks deserve more space to breathe over the quality on display.

The album as a whole is tightly produced, thought-provoking, with melancholic lyrics over upbeat instrumentation, and bonus tracks that act as more than filler,which some records tend to fall foul of.

Song recommendations: ‘Cool as Dad’, ‘NOT OK’, ‘The Rocks’

8/10

Week 39: 5 Seconds of Summer- 5SOS5

~ honestopinions19 ~ Leave a comment

You may recall sometime in 2020, I reviewed their third album, “CALM”, which was an acronym of the members’ names. So, instead of an introduction to who the band is, let’s begin the review of the Australian band:

I noticed that the band finally discovered their wall of sound and style. The beginning of the record is ‘COMPLETE MESS’, which happens to be the leading single. The song has a catchy chorus (Which is a perfect ingredient for a mainstream hit.)that you will find yourself singing along to long after you have ceased listening to the album. There is also a beat drop, which I haven’t heard utilised before.

Next up is my standout. ‘Easy for You to Say’. Thought-provoking lyrics over a piano. This song is about fleeing the nest and how hard it can be to leave the family home. The song is also personal to them as they mention Sydney, where they are from. So, it is also a song about them finding it hard to be away from Australia while they are on the road. They miss all the home comforts. For example, Rebecca Lucy Taylor, aka Self Esteem, told Jools Holland during an interview on his recent Later show how she misses all the little things like doing the laundry. They also say despite being on the road, they learn to grow as individuals become more mature and wiser.

The record is a blend of the old and new versions of the band. For some reason, they always remind me of Panic at the Disco or Alkaline Trio. I feel they are more in that ballpark, sonically. On ‘Best Friends’, they take a trip down memory lane and talk about the early days of their friendship and the band. Michael Clifford has a reminiscing tone, but there is no denying his vocals have grown stronger as he has got older and gained more experience in honing his vocals.

On ‘You Don’t Go to Parties’, you can hear a song that could easily slot into their debut album. Fans will also be propelled back to the past with ‘Emotions’, a song about being trapped in a dark moment with your emotions being uncontrollable that sonically could belong on “Sounds Good Feels Good”. ‘Moodswings’ also brings nostalgia, with all the members chipping in on vocals. Something that was absent when I listened to “CALM”.

Luke Hemming’s fianceé Sierra Deaton appears in the reflective piano ballad ‘Older’. You can hear how much they are in love with each other as they exchange verses about how they couldn’t grow old without their relationship. You can feel the chemistry on this one; it is a lovely refrain.

The final track I will end with is ‘Caramel’. This is apt; the song has layers which synchronise with the tastes we experience when eating the confectionery. The first layer is sweet, so in terms of the song, it is about the wonderful feeling we have during the infatuation stage of being in love. The second layer is salty/savoury, so in terms of the song, it reflects the harsh reality of the sweet and sour of a relationship and coming back down after feeling the rush coursing through your veins. It’s quite a melancholic track about a relationship fading away, with the tempo starting quick and gradually slowing down to reflect the nature of the topic.

It was beautiful to hear the trials and tribulations of Luke, Ashton, Michael, and Calum’s lives and their friendship on this album. Although every member has a turn at vocals, Calum and Michael are on most tracks. I loved the powerful lyrics and topics used, which show their more mature side, and the risk they took to experiment with new sounds. I enjoyed listening to the record and would highly recommend you do, too. Much better than their previous albums.

Song recommendations: ‘Easy for You to Say’, ‘Older’, ‘Caramel’

9/10