Remain ‘CALM,’ 5 Seconds of Summer’s newest album is also their best

On Friday, March 27, 5 Seconds of Summer released their fourth album “CALM.” The album takes inspiration from older styles of pop and rock, using styles from the 70s, 80s and 90s. This album is their best they have ever produced.

Bassist Calum Hood stated in an interview with Billboard Magazine that “this is the best representation of who we are, not just as artists, but as people.”

The album begins with “Red Desert,” a song that uses the entire band’s vocals and shows drummer Ashton Irwin’s incredible talent. This song is one of the best openers of an album this year. The lyrics are so beautifully layered it sounds like a church choir, if that church choir were a group of attractive Australian men.

Next is track “No Shame,” full of lead singer Luke Hemming’s seductive vocals and lyrics you don’t want to listen to with your parents, this song is pure sex. In various interviews, the band stated this song is what they feel encapsulates the entire feeling of “CALM.” While the entire album is introspective, this song in particular focuses on the band’s feelings toward their fame and how our society is obsessed with gaining a celebrity status. This is best shown through the chorus:

“I only light up when cameras are flashing

Never enough and no satisfaction  

Got no shame

I love the way you’re screaming my name

Digging my grave to get a reaction

Changing my face and calling it fashion

Got no shame

I love the way you’re screaming my name”

The lyrics on this album are truly the best 5 Seconds of Summer have ever had. The song “Old Me”’s lyrics “they wondered how long I could keep it up and I wondered how I’d ever get enough” is haunting in this age where passion can become suffocating.

Released as a single right before the album drop, “Wildflower” sounds like a dream.  It begins with layered vocals, then bassist Calum Hood takes over the vocals. Although the beginning uses layered lyrics like “Red Desert,” “Wildflower” is completely different.  Interestingly, the chorus leaves pauses between their words, which builds an even more sensual vibe. The band tweeted about “Wildflower” saying “this song is a Frankenstein of everything we love about music, we really hope you dig this one.”

Hemming stated on his Instagram Live that his favorite track off the album is “Best Years.” This song has Hemmings promising the listener he will give them a better life, in other words – to give them the best years.  This song paints how the song’s subject took care of Hemmings at his worst and how he wishes to do the same for them. U2’s The Edge accompanies lead guitarist Michael Clifford to create an enchanting bridge.  

During the same Instagram Live, Hood and Clifford stated the band wished their fans to use the song during their weddings. They even joked around that Clifford would use it in his upcoming wedding to girlfriend Crystal Leigh.  

Other notable songs “Not in the Same Way” and “Lonely Heart” are sure to be huge crowd-pleasers at their concerts with such high energy and upbeat drums.

One of the band’s most beautiful songs to date is the closer of the album, “High.” The song features acoustic guitar from Clifford and focuses on Hemming’s vocals. The lyrics are incredibly introspective about not meeting one’s expectations of you. The song is self-destructive, hoping the listener thinks well of them when they have undoubtedly moved on to someone better. The tune is depressing, yet it is comforting by showing that even the band can feel this way sometimes.  

“CALM’” is available to stream on all music platforms.