Album: Sounds Good, Feels Good by 5 Seconds of Summer
On Oct. 22, 5 Seconds of Summer (5SOS) released their fourth album, “Sounds Good, Feels Good.”
According to 5SOS’s interview with Billboard, the title of the album came about in an interesting way. After the band finished recording vocals for “Hey Everybody!” as a group, lead singer Luke Hemmings said, “Sounds good, feels good.” This snippet can actually be heard in the beginning of the song. The band decided not to overthink the title of the album, and I’m glad they didn’t. The title appropriately captures the essence of this album.
The song not only sparked the title of this album, but also was a personal favorite of mine. On Oct. 16, the band released the accompanying music video. Not only was the song fresh and upbeat, the video itself was very entertaining to watch.
The video commences with a narrator introducing the band as characters who are unhappy in life and searching for something more. The dull scene then switches to a more vibrant background as the band decides to have fun and go crazy. You see them riding segways while wearing robes and eccentric hats, playing human Pac-man and even water sliding while covered in plastic wrap. The light, comical feeling in this video definitely introduced the beginning of this album very nicely.
While 5SOS is technically a pop-punk band, it has been criticized in the past for sounding “too pop.” Critics will be happy to hear that this album is quite the opposite of that.
The band has taken a new angle to its music and veers more toward alternative music in this album, which is refreshing considering their usual style.
The album has reached a rating of 4.5/5 stars on iTunes, and their earlier released singles, “She’s Kinda Hot,” “Fly Away,” ”Permanent Vacation” and “Jet Black Heart” have already hit Billboard’s Hot 100 list.
In their interview with Billboard, the band pointed out their new song “Outer Space” as one that’s very special because it is a lot more alternative than their usual sound. Although it was over six minutes long, this song was particularly enjoyable to listen to because it also features the London Symphony Orchestra, which adds a harmonious medley of pop, punk, alternative and classical music. It was something kind of out there, but it was in the best way possible.
The orchestra also is featured in the band’s song “Invisible.” This was another very memorable piece on the album. It had a more solemn, serious tone similar to the band’s hit song “Amnesia” from their first album “5 Seconds of Summer.” It also started with the same acoustic sound that makes it feel more personal and heartwarming. The song describes a myriad of emotions as someone tries to figure out who they are after they feel like they have lost their identity. The tune and the message of the song blended together to create something that was truly mesmerizing to listen to.
I’m excited to see the future ahead for 5 Seconds of Summer and watch how they continue to grow in their music, whether that be in the pop or alternative genre. Listening to “Sounds Good, Feels Good” was definitely a memorable experience, and the album might just be their best one yet. It’s only $11.99 on iTunes, so I definitely recommend downloading a copy. It will sound and feel (pretty) good.
