5 SECONDS OF SUMMER
Everyone’s A Star! (Republic)
5 Seconds Of Summer’s sixth studio album sees the Australian group stepping into their boldest era with their heads high and their hearts wide open. From the opening dialogue of the title track, the audience is dropped straight into the studio, hearing the spark catch in real time.
Fans and critics alike have already tasted it in singles Not OK, with its rave-night adrenaline and emotionally tangled chorus, and Boyband, which flips the band’s own mythology into something self-aware, playful and powerful whilst remaining a true earworm.
Working in LA and Nashville with songwriting duo Julian Bunetta and John Ryan (Sabrina Carpenter, Teddy Swims), and producer Jason Evigan (Maroon 5, Benson Boone), the four perspectives of Luke, Michael, Calum, and Ashton come together as an energetic braid of their individual artistry, beautifully melting together to create an expertly curated album. It feels liberated – a rebellious energy that carries nostalgia without getting lost in it. Each track possesses a newness that nods to the shine of their early years; 5SOS’ OG fans will feel seen, new ones will feel found.
words JOSEPH ELIJAH