5 Seconds of Summer – Sounds Good Feels Good
4/5
The members of 5 Seconds of Summer have spent their careers trying to defy the media-perpetuated boy band label that they have been given. The band gained a massive following on YouTube, but rose to international fame opening for One Direction, the quintessential boy band of the modern age. Luke Hemmings, Michael Clifford, Calum Hood, and Ashton Irwin have all risen to teen heartthrob status yet insist they are more punk than pop. Their latest release, Sounds Good Feels Good, reinforces the pop punk image the band has worked so hard to create. The result is a fun throwback to the Green Day and All Time Low sound we loved so much with a youthful spunk.
(Photo courtesy of SJM Concerts)
Sounds Good Feels Good has dangerously catchy tunes that tease youthful feelings of heartbreak, friendship and never quite fitting in. “She’s Kinda Hot” and “Invisible” invoke that all-too-familiar feeling of being an outcast and not knowing how to make your place in the world. While “She’s Kinda Hot” errs on the side of embracing what makes them different from the crowd, “Invisible” zeroes in on the loneliness and confusion that come with social isolation.
5 Seconds of Summer’s album is extremely relatable to anyone who is navigating the pressures of adolescence and young adulthood. But instead of acting as an anchor, it also functions as something you can easily dance along to. Even those who are not fans of the band can appreciate this album as something that can really speak to a few lost kids out there who are just trying to find their way. Plus, the songs are catchy as hell and are incredibly difficult to remove from your brain.
While Sounds Good Feels Good has songs that speak out to those who might be going through a hard time, there are songs that are just plain fun. “Money” and “Hey Everybody!” have that classic pop punk feel that is seen in many of the band’s influences and definitely appeals to anyone who is looking for a drum beat to stomp along to and lyrics to shout. Sounds Good, Feels Good seems like it was designed to appeal to a small club venue or a raging stadium arena. You can practically hear their overwhelming fan base shouting back the chorus to “She’s Kinda Hot” at a headlining stadium tour.
Sounds Good Feels Good is a good album to pick us up out of our autumn school slump and lift our spirits. It provides a good distraction from the stressful routine of work, assignments, and society that we have unfortunately become accustomed to. It serves as a good example of where the pop rock scene is headed if more bands like 5 Seconds of Summer get involved.
