NEW // Sounds Good Feels Good [album] by 5 Seconds of Summer

All you really need to know is the title of this album, and the rest is pretty self-explanatory.

I'd been waiting for this album for a while, with high hopes, and no clear idea on what it would sound like. When I heard the first single off this album, "She's Kinda Hot", I really wasn't sure what to think, because the title makes it sound just like another repetitive pop song where the boy gets the girl. But after listening, it becomes more and more evident that the lyrics actually scream the ever-so-important message of not being afraid to be who you are, no matter what anyone around you says, which I couldn't love more.

This album is a bit different than I was expecting, but then again, I didn't totally know what I was even expecting. I have been an avid fan of this band for over two years, and I know very well that they're capable of pretty much anything. All I know is that whatever they've created with Sounds Good Feels Good is probably about to take the world by storm.

Entirely and officially released on October 29, 2015, this album packs so many genres and emotions into one. With powerful anthems like "Permanent Vacation" and "Castaway", and light upbeat tunes like "San Fransisco" and "Fly Away", it begs a good time. But just around the corner, there's emotion-driven "Jet Black Heart", "Invisible", and of course "Broken Home". The fact that there are so many different sounds in this album, and that they make it work so well, is a vivid testament to how this band still is very young, and have a lot to discover. They've been straddling the line between boyband and rockband for a long time, stumbling their way through many genres, while many critics, radio announcers, and even fans are unsure on where to place them. As it turns out, this is one of the many reasons why I love 5 Seconds of Summer. They don't fit into just one category, whether they know it or not. This makes their music very interesting to listen to, knowing it comes from different backgrounds, experiences, and influences, and easy to relate to their whole "not fitting in" theme. 

One of my favourites on this album is "Outer Space / Carry On", which, as the slash in title hints at, is split into two parts. The first part of the song is written in 6/8 time, which once again showcases the different styles this band is capable of pursuing. Featuring lyrics like "I guess I was running from something, I was running back to you" and "the darkest night never felt so bright with you by my side", "Outer Space" has a truly enchanting feel to it, and almost creates a feeling like you could really be in outer space: happy, free, and at peace. "Waste the Night" is one of the others that really struck me the first time I listened to this album. There's something about the vocals and the way the words are expressed that makes the story of the protagonist not wanting to waste the fragile and limited time he has with someone, seem very real. Although many of the lyrics are very repeated, they are all the listener really needs to get the point across. 

I'm very pleased with this album, and very proud of how far one of my favourite bands has come. It's only been about two weeks since this album was released, and I can't stop listening to it. With such a mix of feelings and sounds, it's only really possible to understand by going out and listening to this album. 

Find Sounds Good Feels Good by 5 Seconds of Summer on Spotify and iTunes, and check out their live performance of "Hey Everybody" for BBC Radio 1.