Everyone’s A Star — 5 Seconds of Summer

5 Seconds of Summer, at any given time, could have been considered punk, or pop, or alt-rock — but never a boy band. Much to the band members’ despair, their early association with One Direction as openers for the Take Me Home Tour seemed to permanently brand their punk act. They’ve been trying to shake the title ever since. The Mic's Aaliyah Field reports on the soon-to-be-released poppy-punky-rocky record.

I kept up with 5SOS in my early teens and I remember very distinctly that “boyband” was a sacrilegious word among fans. The phrase was reserved for out-of-touch journalists and surface-level listeners. 5SOS have had many different sounds in their career, and I have to say that none of them felt much like one a boy-band could pull off. To clarify, the definition of boy-band here is a group of young, strategically chosen, singing boys who sing the songs they are given to pander to fans. Let me also be clear: there is not a boy-band hater behind this article. I have a deep nostalgia and love for the boy-bands of my time, but they branded themselves as such — or a talent-show host did. Putting 5SOS under the same umbrella proved limiting and also damning as now they were held to the same standards of fan service as boy-bands by fans and the industry.

They started off making pop-punk music in 2014. Anyone whose inspiration is Billie Joe Armstrong does not want to be labelled a “boyband”. The label eclipsed their potential and their ability to be seen for what they are: a creatively autonomous band. Everyone’s A Star! is an exposé and critique of the uninhabitable environment of fame, specifically when your creative vision is consistently plagued by a misunderstanding.

The title and opening track Everyone’s A Star sets the premise for a different kind of album; one that tackles industry and personal issues without diluting the anger behind it. NOT OK!, Telephone Busy, and Boyband were the singles that introduced fans to this let-loose attitude. NOT OK! stands out as particularly loud and heavy, resulting in some mixed responses from fans. These fans need not worry about the rest of the album, they will come to see the twist 5SOS has in store. Fans drew comparisons between Waterparks and Twenty One Pilots; I drew a comparison to a hard-hitting K-pop song I’d once heard in someone else’s car. Whether or not this is on purpose as another boy-band reference, the band is drawing on many influences for this branch out of the 5SOS ordinary. It seems to be a necessary cathartic release for the band before they get into more lyrically heavy tracks with easy-listening pop backing.

There’s an eyeroll behind Hemmings’ vocals. I can almost picture him leaning back in an office chair in the booth, recording these vocals that sound, well, laid back. It’s incredibly ironic and a perfect way to mock boy-band and fan culture.

5SOS are making use of spoken-word with a grainy effect throughout this album, think the likes of Gorillaz and The Strokes. Boyband is brimming with years of restrained frustration of their unjust labelling. There’s an eyeroll behind Hemmings’ vocals. I can almost picture him leaning back in an office chair in the booth, recording these vocals that sound, well, laid back. It’s incredibly ironic and a perfect way to mock boy-band and fan culture. “Love me when I’m skinny and we never, ever age” is a heart-breaking critique of the shallow branding and treatment of boy-bands. 5SOS started their careers as teenagers, growing up physically and mentally in the public eye which undoubtedly led to scrutiny of their every move.

No.1 Obsession continues this high energy but tapers at the end, departing from the intensity of the beginning of the album. Track 6, I’m Scared I’ll Never Sleep marks a turning point. From this point onwards, instrumentals are reminiscent of 5SOS’ soft pop sound and the lyrical content turns introspective. It’s a surprise considering the consistent intensity of the three singles which leaves listeners with no reprieve to think. 5SOS have strategically managed our expectations to ambush us with heart halfway through.

One thing consistent about this album is the lyrical content, except this one turns its focus outward to offer its hand to those feeling lost and alone.

istillfeelthesame is a desperate plea for connection over an 80s soft drumbeat and synth. Like its preceding track, it’s a fear of losing someone and feeling uncontrollably detached. It finishes with a reverb reprise of the synth melody that could soundtrack an Atari game. In Ghost, Hemmings’ vocals are given the full attention, only accented with simple, sparkly, and long-held notes. With the lyric, “I can’t look you in the eyes because I’m afraid it looks like me”, we are again invited into a very personal account of fear and self-reflection. The “ghost” represents substance abuse and the constant pressure of fame that haunts members of the band. Sick of Myself and Evolve, as implied by their titles alone, continue to dwell on shame or self-consciousness about identity. “I can’t look at myself in the eyes” is yet another reference to not being able to face oneself. Evolve feels especially Gorillaz-inspired and the lyrics draw on an Albarn-type sarcasm. It playfully recounts the stereotype of prolonged immaturity for artists who make it big in their teens. Perhaps it is an instance of finally being able to face this aspect of themselves. It’s a self-aware take on the tendency to abuse the freedoms and perks of fame. The Rocks gives 2014 punk fans what they’ve been waiting for. Finally at track 11, an unfiltered crunchy guitar and moody vocals. One thing consistent about this album is the lyrical content, except this one turns its focus outward to offer its hand to those feeling lost and alone. The final track, Jawbreaker, is a love-song finish.

Since I’m Scared I’ll Never Sleep, each track seemed to get softer and more heartfelt, so this ending feels right. However, if you put it next to any of the first four tracks, it would be quite jarring. It is essential to listen to this album in order, at least the first time, to get a sense of the cathartic process it reflects. Another reason I liken this to catharsis is the repetitive lyrics around fear of self-reflection, referring to mirrors and apparitions that may reveal a frightening reality of who you really are. Echoing is one way to purge difficult emotions, and music is the perfect format. Everyone’s A Star! seems like an album 5SOS needed to produce for themselves, and in its release, they offer support for the task of self-reflection to their listeners.

Written by Aaliyah Field

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Edited by Max Durno

All photos courtesy of 5SecondOfSummer