★★★★☆
5 Seconds of Summer (5SOS)’s sixth studio album, EVERYONE’S A STAR!, is proof that 5SOS is much more than your typical boy band—if you can even call it that.
In its early days, 5 Seconds of Summer competed with One Direction for the crown of pop princes, but they were never meant to wear that crown. As its music has matured, 5SOS has embraced its niche of a punk rock sound.
EVERYONE’S A STAR! is the perfect evolution from CALM and 5SOS5, resulting in a collection of songs filled with angst, vulnerability, and aggression.
The album kicks off with the titular “Everyone’s a Star,” which feels almost hypnotic with its layered vocals and confidently simple melody. It’s contrasted by the album’s second track and lead single, “NOT OK,” which has more of a shouting chorus that screams apathy and rebellion.
“Hey, I’m not okay / I like the darker side of me, that part of me / Comes out to play when I’m with you, you / Bite the apple, baby,” shouts Luke Hemmings, the band’s lead singer.
“Telephone Busy” is the third song on the album and uses different vocal filters that sound like it’s being sung through the phone. A strong backing beat and insistent lyrics make the song catchy and memorable.
“Boyband” is next and is an introspective look at how 5 Seconds of Summer really views its stereotype. Clearly, the band hasn’t had the greatest experience as they sing about fans, with their grand expectations and assumptions.
“Raised on pop punk and bubblegum / Stay young, love me ’til I get it wrong / Make me the flavor of the week / Now I only feel alive when you’re looking at me,” Hemmings sings as camera flashing sounds fill the background.
“No. 1 Obsession” and “istillfeelthesame” are both catchy and upbeat, but not necessarily memorable. On the album, they fit the punk-rock, angsty aesthetic, but they aren’t standouts. While “No. 1 Obsession” may be catchier, “istillfeelthesame” includes vocals from other band members besides Hemmings, so both tracks have their perks.
“I’m Scared I’ll Never Sleep Again” is an example of 5SOS embracing its pop-rock niche to great results. The track is more of a ballad, with spoken vocals from Calum Hood woven among long, emotional riffs from Hemmings. The strength of the song lies in the contrast between those sections, taking us from rational, calm thoughts to the chaotic longing beneath.
“Baby, maybe tonight / Waitin’ for a phone call on the East Side / And that was my fault / I was wishin’ I wasn’t so drunk,” Hood says.
Hemmings follows with, “Every bed is cold without your body in it / Everywhere I go, my skin is crawling / What if I can’t close my eyes without you in my head? / I’m scared I’ll never sleep again.”
5SOS takes its vulnerability further with “Ghost” and “Sick of Myself,” acknowledging its flaws and mistakes throughout both tracks. “Ghost” is more somber and melodic, while “Sick of Myself” has a more upbeat melody to disguise the pain in the lyrics.
“Evolve” is the one song on EVERYONE’S A STAR! that doesn’t seem to fit. Confusing insinuations and misleading lyrics lead the band too far into teenage angst for its own good. Keep in mind, all of the band members are nearly 30 by now—they can still get away with a lot, but “Evolve” pushes that limit.
5SOS closes out the album with “Jawbreaker,” which is the record’s one undeniably positive song. It’s telling that the band finishes EVERYONE’S A STAR! with a song about love and appreciation, as if to imply that most of the band’s moody heartaches are lessons from the past that led them to the present in “Jawbreaker.”
“Now, I can’t pretend / That my heart’s on house arrest / All the darker parts of me are cavin’ in / Jumpin’ off the fence,” sings Hemmings.
5SOS isn’t the same pop group that original fans might know them as. EVERYONE’S A STAR! proves that 5SOS has matured its sound into something that channels their boy-band angst with a matching feeling and energy, resulting in an authentic, original album.