QR Music Review: 5 Seconds of Summer - Youngblood
Almost three years after the release of their sophomore record, Sounds Good Feels Good, 5 Seconds of Summer’s newest record Youngblood, released a week earlier than scheduled, far exceeds expectations held by fans and critics alike. Currently, 5 Seconds of Summer are on their way to making history, by becoming either the first band to score three number one albums on the Billboard 100, or becoming the first artist to stop Beyoncé debuting at number one.
Starting as a four-piece band from Sydney, Australia, 5 Seconds of Summer rose to fame in early 2013 by accompanying One Direction on their mammoth ‘Take Me Home’ tour, playing 129 arena shows across four different continents. Their success exploded after the release of their self-titled debut album in 2014, reaching number one in Australia and the US, and number two in the UK. After supporting One Direction on two tours, on top of their own two headline tours in 2015 and 2016 respectfully, whilst also releasing their sophomore record, Sounds Good Feels Good in 2015, five years of touring took a toll on the band – forcing them to take a two-year break to work on the new album.
Youngblood blends together pop-punk influences with techno and synth, creating a more unique, mature sound that we are not used to hearing from 5 Seconds of Summer. The album opens with title track, Youngblood, a much darker, heavy sound that definitively sets the tone of the album. Youngblood came as a shock success, currently charting at number one in their home country of Australia after nine weeks in the charts. However, it’s up-tempo beat should not be underestimated, it’s chant-like chorus will mean it’s definitely one to watch on their Meet You There tour, starting in the UK in October later this year.
After teasing fans with the release of new music since 2017, it wasn’t until February 2018 that their first single and second album track, Want You Back, was announced – a single that would demonstrate to the world what 5SOS’ new sound would be. A single, driven by synth, guitar riffs and falsettos, shocked and divided fans. Whilst a majority of fans were grateful to have new music, a small minority criticised the band for becoming too ‘mainstream’ for the use of synths instead of sticking to their own instruments. Whilst there were criticisms that 5SOS had forgotten their roots, Want You Back epitomises what the album was meant to represent - change.
Youngblood shines brightest in the album's later tracks such as Better Man, Ghost of You andBabylon - arguably one of the best songs on the album. Each song has a life and meaning of it's own, telling of the different individualistic experiences each member brought to the writing process for this album. Better Man starts with a melodic guitar riff, before changing tempo pre-chorus to chant the lyrics, "With your love, your love, I'm a better, better man". Ghost of Youhas been described as debut album's Amnesia's older, more mature sibling due to it being the only real ballad to exist on this record. Comparing lyrics from the two records demonstrate once again how 5 Seconds of Summer have used their hiatus to master their songwriting as individuals, and as a band. Ghost of You reflects on a past, lost love with a sense of maturity, with poignant lyrics such as, "We're too young, too dumb, to know things like love/But I know better now, better now". As the last song on the standard release of the album, Ghost of Youleaves a somber note on what otherwise is a powerful, energetic album. Babylon, as heard on the final song of the deluxe album, is a guitar driven anthem, fronted and led by Calum Hood.Babylon is the perfect album finisher, with obvious influences from Fall Out Boy and Good Charlotte, it's a powerhouse song which could easily be made their third single.
The albums greatest success is undoubtedly the individual effort each member has put into creating this album. The talents of Michael Clifford (lead guitarist), Calum Hood (bassist) and Ashton Irwin (drums) do not go unnoticed as they would have done in previous records. Hood’s baselines thrive in songs like Youngblood and Woke Up in Japan, Clifford’s guitar skills shine in songs like Talk Fast and Lie To Me, and Irwin’s singing ability is front and centre in the anthemic Empty Wallets. Whilst Luke Hemmings (lead vocalist) shines on this record, it no longer feels like a one man show. This album feels like a group effort; an album in which individual member poured their heart and soul into its creation - and it pays off massively.
5 Seconds of Summer are not genre-bound anymore, and that’s ok. The band have showed through their latest album that they’re here to make music that they love. They’ve demonstrated change not just through their sound, but by their choice of producers working on this record. Long gone are the days John Feldmann produced and mixed the entire album, for this record 5SOS worked with producers both familiar, and unfamiliar, with their work in order to explore new genres and new routes their music could go.
On their Twitter page, 5 Seconds of Summer stated that, “The making of Youngblood was nothing short of an ultimately transformative experience”, and that’s exactly what this album feels like. An ultimately transformative experience. In a few short years, 5SOS have effectively shed their pop foundations, creating music that feels familiar, whilst simultaneously bringing something new and fresh to the industry. It shows a band who are not afraid to take risks in order to create music that they themselves are proud of.
Youngblood was a risk for 5 Seconds of Summer. Creating an album after three years away and diverting from a sound they know works for them is a risk that has definitely payed off. Their sophomore album, Sounds Good Feels Good was phenomenal; piecing together a more mature sound, whilst mixing in musical interludes, to create an album that flowed start to finish. However, Youngblood exceeds Sounds Good Feels Good in all senses. Each song is a masterpiece, carefully crafted, bringing each song to life with a meaning and story of its own. I would die for Sounds Good Feels Good, but I will fight anyone that says Youngblood isn’t 5 Seconds of Summer’s best record to date.
5/5
By Jessica Lawrence