Rating: 8/10
After moving into a new sound with the 2018 record Youngblood, 5 Seconds of Summer continued to branch out in terms of their sonic direction with their fourth studio album, CALM. While Youngblood (which is my personal favorite record of theirs) was very cohesive and focused on a pop-rock sound, CALM is much more eclectic and experimental. That’s not to say it doesn’t flow well though, because it does. Even though the songs all have very different sounds, the album still manages to feel like a complete, compact body of work, which is something that I have to give 5SOS praise for.
In this post I’ll be ranking all the songs on 5 Seconds of Summer’s fourth studio album, CALM, from least favorite to favorite. This is their most recent album, so I’m kinda sad that I won’t be able to review any more of their records until they come out with another album, but alas. That’s just how it is unfortunately.
12. Not In the Same Way (Track 8)
I don’t what it is about this song that annoys me so much. Actually I do. It’s the fast, overly-rhythmic verses that just sound uninspired, and the head-voice-dependent, lazy melody. Okay, that was mean, I’m sorry. I just don’t vibe with this song. I mean, it has redeeming qualities though. The production is nice, albeit very poppy, and Luke’s vocals when he’s singing the “way” refrain are pretty nice. But other than that, I get almost no enjoyment out of this song. I’m so sorry 5SOS.
11. Old Me (Track 3)
I don’t dislike this song at all, and I wouldn’t even call it a skip. It’s a fun listen with a nice message, and it keeps you engaged and all (plus I absolutely adore the music video), but it’s a little too pop-oriented for me to really get into it. They have other pop songs on this album that are a little more innovative and unique, so I prefer those over this one.
10. Lover of Mine (Track 9)
This is a beautiful love song, and the lyrics are wonderful. I love the piano, I love Luke’s vocals, I love the drums that come in for the second verse, and I love the fact that Luke and Sierra wrote it together (what a power couple, am I right?) but there’s something about this song that just doesn’t quite do it for me. I wish I could like it more, but it just falls a bit short and feels kinda generic if I’m being completely honest.
9. Easier (Track 4)
Alright, here’s where we get into the songs that I actually really enjoy and wouldn’t skip. I know this is a divisive song in the fandom and I can see why, because there are no other songs in the 5SOS discography that sound like it. It’s very pop-oriented, but it manages to feel unique and I actually really enjoy it. To be fair though, I hated this song when I first heard it. Like, did not like it at all. And I guess somewhere along the line I just started to appreciate it more. The lyrics here are really good. And I love the mysterious and eerie opening, the broody, seductive atmosphere of the song, Luke’s vocals (as well as his ad-libs), the synthy-production, the dirty bass in the chorus, and the plucky, clean guitar work that comes in for the later choruses. That was a lot of stuff that I just listed, so needless to say, there’s a lot that I like about this song.
LET IT BE KNOWN THOUGH: THE ‘LIVE FROM THE VAULT’ VERSION OF THIS SONG IS BY FARRRRR SUPERIOR AND SHOULD’VE BEEN THE OFFICIAL VERSION. IF IT WAS THE OFFICIAL VERSION IT WOULD BE AT THE TOP OF THIS RANKING.
8. Teeth (Track 5)
“Call me in the morning to apologize, every little lie gives me butterflies. Something in the way you’re looking through my eyes, don’t know if I’m gonna make it out alive.” This song and ‘Easier’ are essentially tied in my mind but I’m giving this one the higher spot solely because of the pre-chorus. THAT PRE-CHORUS. IT KILLS ME EVERYTIME. IT’S SO GOOD GUYS. SO GOOD. This song has a very industrial sound to it which you wouldn’t think would work well for 5SOS, but I think they pull it off pretty well. This song has a very dangerous and anxious feeling to it but in the best way possible. It’s just a fun time to listen to it. OH AND THE BRIDGE IS AMAZING. “Blood on my shirt, rose in my hand. You’re looking at me like you don’t know who I am.”
7. Best Years (Track 7)
“Past love burned out like a cigarette, I promise, darling, you won’t regret the best years.” I really like this song. Like a lot. The chorus is really great. Luke sounds so passionate and beautiful. Also the story of this song is really sweet and romantic. This song is about wanting to repay someone’s dedication and loyalty by devoting the rest of your life to making them happy. It’s a great wedding song, and it manages to be romantic and emotional without being too tear-jerking (at least for me because I have no soul) which is very cool. And the part at the end where all the instrumentation starts to amp up like crazy and Luke gives his vocals so much intensity and it’s like an explosion of emotion and sound? Yeah, chills. Everytime.
(Also I just found out that The Edge from U2 plays the guitar in the bridge and I just… WHAT? TWO OF MY WORLDS COLLIDING? MIND BLOWN.)
6. Wildflower (Track 6)
I was tempted to have the placement of this song and ‘Best Years’ switched but I’m gonna keep it like this because this song just gives me such good vibes. Like, this song makes me feel like I’m a flower-child running through a meadow with waterfalls and flowers during the summertime in the 60s. I know that’s specific, but that’s what this song gives me. I mean, those opening harmonies. CHILLS. ABSOLUTE WONDER AND BEAUTY. Calum knocks it out of the park on this song, and he makes the chorus feel fun and jubilant instead of chaotic and overdone, which it very easily could’ve been. The lyrics and instrumentation in this song blend so well and make this song feel very vivid and saturated. The bridge is amazing, albeit simple, and overall this is just a free-spirited, whimsical summertime/springtime bop. Oh, and the music video is great ❤
5. Thin White Lies (Track 10)
This is just a really cool song. Between the melody, rhythm, and guitar/bass, it just has an effortlessly mature and seductive feeling to it. The chorus is so catchy and intriguing, and it just pulls you in so well and keeps your attention. The bridge of this song is really good as well – it’s short but sweet. Overall, this is just a really well-done, impressive song and I love listening to it.
4. Lonely Heart (Track 11)
This song didn’t use to stand out to me, but now that I’ve been enlightened, I can see what an absolute banger it is. Luke’s vocals are so soft and gentle and subdued in the verses, it makes the song feel so intimate. And then the chorus starts and suddenly you levitate. The beat drops and it’s like you’re being snatched out of a haze. It’s thumping and pulsing, and it’s infectious. The background vocals in the pre-chorus also add a lot of depth and dimension to the song, which I love. To summarize, this song is a bop (with a relatable title may I add!) and sonically, it’s very grabbing and irresistible. I can see why it wouldn’t be for everyone, but I happen to love it.
3. Red Desert (Track 1)
“Tell me, would you pack up all your bags, stay true to North? You’re the only one I’d do this for.” ‘Red Desert’ kicks off CALM with a huge bang. From the second the opening, multi-layered group harmonies begin you know you’re gonna be in for a wild ride with this song. The lyricism in this song is very descriptive and vivid, which I greatly appreciate. The guitar work brought in for the second chorus is great, but the real highlight of this song (aside from the brilliant lyrics and wonderful, glowing harmonies) is the DRUMMING. ASHTON KILLED IT. The drum beat basically pushes the whole chorus forward and gives it edge and dynamic, and then when the bridge comes around he just goes crazy and the drums take full stage, and it’s great. I love playing air-drums along with the bridge’s drum solo. This song is a fantastic track to open up the record with, and stays true to 5 Seconds of Summer’s legacy of having impeccable opening tracks for their albums. “Red, red desert, heal our blues. I dive deeper for you. What a blessing to feel your love, twilight moments with you.”
2. No Shame (Track 2)
It’s truly awesome that following the great ‘Red Desert’ is the even greater ‘No Shame’. This song is just so infectious and shamelessly catchy and unforgettable. From the exuberant chorus (with an amazingly catchy melody) to the distorted guitar that opens up the song, there are so many great aspects of this song. Plus, the lyrics are really interesting, with a very intriguing theme (basically this song is about someone who wants fame so badly that they’ll basically sacrifice all of their dignity as well as their reputation just to get it). It’s by far the catchiest song on this album and I think the boys did an amazing job with this one. “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.”
1. High (Track 12)
“Today I called to tell you that I’m changing, but I don’t think you have enough respect to see me try. I’ve been waking up in different spaces, and I think that my heart is built to last more than a night. I need to stop letting me down…” Guys, this song means so much to me. I have so many things I want to say about this masterpiece but I don’t know where to begin, so I’m sorry if what I’m about to say comes across as some random, incoherent stream of consciousness.
Basically, when I was listening through this album for the first time, none of the songs were really standing out to me. I was pretty sad because I was worried that I wasn’t gonna love this album, and that none of the songs were gonna do much for me. Then this song came on, the very last on the album, and it was so lovely and gentle and honest, it stunned me. And of course the other songs on this album have grown on me since then and I definitely can say with confidence that I do like this record a lot, but this song is by miles and miles my favorite. “I know I’ll never meet your expectations, but the picture that you paint of me looks better in your mind. Now every step I take with hesitation, and I’ll always miss the memories of the mornings we were high.”
Every lyric hits you in the feelings. This song manages to address being hung up on an ex-partner, breaking bad habits, wanting to be nicer to yourself, and trying to move forward all within the span of 2 minutes and 58 seconds, and it does so with such poignancy and grace. The gentle guitar melody that runs throughout the whole song is very simple but beautiful. Luke’s vocals are stunning and genuine and emotional, and he really carries the weight of the song beautifully. The “ladada” part towards the end is gorgeous and I love it. The background “ahs” in the second verse are also gorgeous and I love them as well. Oh, and if you haven’t laid in bed at 3 A.M. listening to this song and thinking about your life, then I honestly feel kinda sorry for you. To sum up this whole rant, this song means a lot to me and it’s definitely one of my all-time favorite 5SOS songs (we’re talking top 3 here folks). It’s a beautiful, inspiring, slightly sad ending to the album, and it’s perfect. “I hope you think of me high, I hope you think of me highly when you’re with someone else.”
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