Written by Avani Goswami
CALM, the new album from 5 Seconds of Summer, has fans anything but as the new album takes the band’s vocals and lyrical skills up a notch. The record consists of 12 tracks, and is titled after the band members’ first names: Calum, Ashton, Luke, and Michael.
The album opens with “Red Desert,” an anthem made to shout in an arena. This is one of the best on the album, giving each member a chance to really shine with its chilling vocals backed by strong guitars and drums. The lead single, “Easier,” is more electronic and serves as a good introduction to the album, but is far from the best single to come from the record. That title goes to “Wildflower,” an easy to dance to, psychedelic track where bassist Calum Hood shows off his vocal ability. The other singles, like “Teeth,” all reflect the record’s vibe fairly well: a reflection on the band’s experiences with love and success told in a mature, angsty way.
Some other standouts from the album are “Lonely Heart,” a song that initially sounds like a ballad peppered with bursts of energy, or “Lover of Mine,” a sweet but powerful song, both instrumentally and vocally. The album closes with one of the few ballads, “High,” and leaves the listener with a strong impression that there’s something for every emotion on this album.
Looking at their past records, CALM stands out sonically, showing the progression of the band and their growth together. The lyrics are easy to relate to but personal at the same time, like the bridge of “Thin White Lies:” “I don’t think I like me anymore/Can someone tell me who I was before?” Nearly all of the songs have a quality to them that makes them seem like they would be even better live.
Honestly, this album is far from forgettable. Most of the tracks are completely unique. I find myself hoping for a “Babylon” 2.0 as a callback to Youngblood, but this album does not disappoint in any way. The songs are definitely a step forward for them and show their certainty in where they want to be musically. The pop-rock influence remains, with an innovative, brighter sound, different from anything they’ve done before. I would definitely recommend giving CALM a listen if you want something new, even if you’ve never heard anything from 5 Seconds of Summer before. You may be surprised.
