Sounds Good Feels Good: 5SOS

UNIVERSAL MUSIC, Rs 395

Many haven’t accepted the fact that 5SOS are in fact a boy band. Defining a “boy band” is not really easy especially when you have many past bands in 5SOS genre like Hanson, The Jonas Brothers, who fit a similar profile. But 5SOS’ brand of guitar-heavy work resembles Green Day’s pop-punk.

The Australian group’s second album in two years is pretty exciting and keeps your ears tuned for about an hour. The tracks are co-written by a galaxy of artists including Good Charlotte’s Benji and Joel Madden, and Evanescence’s David Hodges. At first listen you might not click with the heavy instrumentation and loud sound, but give it some time to sink in.

I personally really enjoyed the instrumentals on the album, especially on Invisible. The last 30 seconds have this absolutely amazing violin that brings so much feeling to the song. This album seemed to have a lot of meaning to 5SOS and as the listener you can hear the stories they are telling through their lyrics; I really appreciate it when artists are able to bare their soul.

Hooks abound on most of the tracks, so take your pick from the best that include the catchy chorus to Money, She’s Kinda Hot to plunking down to 80’s band Duran Duran’s take on Hungry Like The Wolf on Hey Everybody. They go overboard on Permanent Vacation with a bold true statement: “We’re the voice of the new generation.”

Songs like Jet Black Heart a total out and out rocker and Waste The Night (which features a spindly riff that edges close to The Cure’s Friday I’m In Love) bring them in a league of their own.

The rest of the album loses steam midway, but satisfy yourself with these good tracks and you’re sure to rewind and maybe find a few more you like; we suggest San Francisco that comes close to 1D’s sound.

The songs delve more into growing pains when it comes to love, believing that life is precious, and enjoying what you have (and not taking things too seriously). Hard times are merely temporary, and even heartbreak is a mere blip on the continuum, feel 5SOS.

Sounds Good Feels Good certainly won’t appeal to everybody, especially those who have grown to like 1D and The Vamps. But 5SOS have their own style, presence and sound, so there should be a lot of takers. Lyrics included.