Rate: 4 out of 5 stars

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Following their first arena tour, Australian pop punk band 5 Seconds of Summer released their sophomore album Sounds Good Feels Good.

The record dropped on Oct. 23, and the album promotion kicked off at the beginning of the Rock Out With Your Socks Out tour. The band performed one of album’s new songs,  “Permanent Vacation,” at every show.  

“She’s Kinda Hot” was the first single sold on iTunes from the album. The song ruled the airwaves in this summer and the music video earned the band their second VMA.

Sounds Good Feels Good became available for preorder in August with the instant download of “Fly Away.” “Jet Black Heart,” “Money” and “Hey Everybody” were also released prematurely.

The album mainly features upbeat tunes with a few slow and sad ones mixed in. The greatest songs on the album are “Catch Fire” and “Castaway.” Both are unbelievably catchy and are perfect to keep on replay. The songs aren’t necessarily happy, but the songs don’t feel like downers either, offering a perfect blend of raw emotion and a captivating beat.

While the album’s tone might be generally happy, the slower songs are heartbreaking. “Invisible” describes the life of someone drowning in loneliness, and the end of the song is instrumental and enriches the blue feeling of the song. “Broken Home,” a song on the deluxe version of the album, is from the perspective of a child reeling from the messy divorce of their parents. “The Girl Who Cried Wolf,” another track only on the deluxe version, is reminiscent of the Beatles’ “Across the Universe.”

However, not all songs are as black and white in the emotions they render. “Airplanes” and “Outer Space/Carry On” are undeniable anthems. Listening to each song causes an overflow of feelings, making one identify as a part of something bigger than oneself. “Outer Space/Carry On” is the last song on the album and the perfect closer since it leaves the listener wanting more.

The album is extremely personal. Every song on the album was written by a band member except “Safety Pin.” Although “Safety Pin” wasn’t written by the boys, it does explain a logo on the album cover: two halves of a broken heart secured together with a safety pin.

Sounds Good Feels Good outshines 5 Seconds of Summer’s self-titled debut album. The band’s previous album and EPs relied on the vocals of guitarist Luke Hemmings and bassist Calum Hood. The new album succeeds in showcasing the talents of all band members, especially guitarist Michael Clifford and drummer Ashton Irwin, who were mistakenly overlooked in the band’s previous work.

The album expands on the sound that made millions of fans fall in love with the band and produces 17 fresh tracks with a deluxe version that is definitely worth the extra $3.
5 Seconds of Summer; Sounds Good Feels Good; Capitol Records; 2015