'Youngblood' Tops the Charts

Australian band 5 Seconds of Summer have made a come back. Their new title track Youngblood took number one on the Aria charts in Australia for more than two months after its release and remains in the Top 5. Their album Youngblood as a whole beat out artists such as Beyonce and Jay Z when it topped the Billboard 100 Chart—record-breaking numbers in the US music industry.

With their last album Sounds Good Feel Good debuting in Oct 2015, the four man band excited their fans with the release of their new record Youngblood on June 15. During their two-and-a-half year hiatus, the group didn’t rest, but instead, they created a collection of songs that describe the experience of living as one of the biggest acts in the world. The album’s eclectic tracklist touches on heartbreak, loneliness, longing, growth, and other major themes the band has undergone since their careers skyrocketed and their lives changed.

The title track "Youngblood" opens up the album, and it has been agreed on as the core sound of the album by all members. The thumping chorus nods its head to their old sound, but the band explored more synth and pop sounds for this album which show in this song. Lead singer Luke Hemmings sings about the empowering triumph of getting over a breakup, a common theme in this album. Heartbreak and consequential loneliness fill this album without feeling unpleasantly saccharine like some of their previous songs may have come across to some listeners.

Coming from young men all under 25, lyrics like “a house that’s full of everything we wanted / but its an empty home” from the track "More" may sound cloy, but it describes perfectly the feelings they’ve described too many times before as it parallels with songs like "Over and Out," a track from one of their 2015 EPs. The life of the average 25-year-old can’t compare to the ones this quartet has lived. The group had been on the road since 2013, and after finally getting a break last year and putting out their second album, they found time to turn their experiences into an entirely new sound that showcases the growth and learning experiences they underwent during their hiatus.

A new sound popular on this album can be described as 80s groove. Songs like "Talk Fast," "Meet You There," and the bonus track "When You Walk Away" use subtle and some not so subtle 80s inspired samples. The band incorporates bass drops, hard hitting drums, and biting power chords to add their touch to it, showing a new and unapologetic side of them we never knew we needed.

5 Seconds of Summer have also proved to have mastered the art of pairing solemn verses with upbeat instrumentals to create tracks with depth. Track eleven "Woke Up In Japan" offers a simple opening beat with the repetition of “feeling low, feeling lonely” which represents the overall theme of the song concisely. What makes this song a fan favorite may be the bass drop and dreamy chorus that follows. The carefully placed transitions in this song are much more enjoyable with the help of guitarist Michael Clifford’s guitar plucks, and the call and response between Hemmings’ vocals and Clifford’s guitar acknowledge that the band hasn’t lost their love for roaring guitars. "Why Won’t You Love Me" also utilizes the theme of loneliness and high pitched pop sounds that paradoxically compliment each other well to create despondent visuals.

Some of the melancholic songs were more straightforward. The band also introduced tracks that were made plainly to make its listeners feel heartbreak with less focus on the strategic pairing of the instruments with the lyrics.

"Ghost of You" is a song reminiscent to "Amnesia," which is perfect for attracting new fans while still giving old fans a taste of nostalgia. "Ghost of You" is a piano ballad filled with vivid imagery of life after losing a loved one, such as finding their “old Zeppelin shirt” or seeing their favorite “coffee cup” with a “lipstick stain [that] fades with time” still sitting on the table. This ballad embodies the feeling of loss and heartache that can resonate with almost anyone.

After this disheartening track, the last three tracks of the album return with a louder, more animated sound, ending with the final track "Babylon," a bass and guitar driven power song sung solely by bassist Calum Hood. The song opens with various sounds one may hear just standing outside in the city juxtaposed with what sounds like a fight song, but the chaos quickly switches to a soothing guitar riff which opens up Hood’s first verse. He manages to spout out fast-paced rhymes while not neglecting the zestful bass line in the song. They end the album with a song that perfectly encapsulates the final fall of dysfunctional love and the adrenaline rush that comes with listening to the rollercoaster that is this album.

Youngblood is a new breed of sound and a one of a kind album whether it suits your taste or not. 5 Seconds of Summer put no time limits or restrictions while creating this album, and their no-holds-barred mentality resulted in the opening of new doors and the exploration of new styles audiences have never heard from them before. It is more than likely that it will be easy for anyone to find one (or more than one) favorite on this album.