DAY SEVEN OF 5SOS WEEK: BOY THIS SIDEQUEST IS BLOODY CHAOS!

Hello stars, and welcome to Day Seven of 5SOS Week! A collection of almost all of 5SOS’s most recent solo projects (2024-now). So get ready for a long article of sauce and transportation from a year ago and the journey to now.

Blood on the Drums: The Thorns and The Roses

Ashton Irwin organized Blood on the Drums as a two-part release, with Side A, The Thorns, released on June 12, 2024, and Side B, The Roses, following on July 17, 2024. The project examines the duality of life, love, pain, and growth, emphasizing both suffering and healing. The title reflects Irwin’s dedication to his craft and the sacrifices associated with artistic pursuit.

Disc One: The Thorns

Straight to Your Heart opens the album with a bittersweet tone. The track addresses the conclusion of a relationship, illustrating the necessity of moving forward after love ends. A subsequent reunion offers renewed hope, but ultimately leads to additional pain. The song contemplates the ache of lost connection, conveyed through a melody that is simultaneously tender and haunting.

Breakup adopts a playful and energetic approach. Written from the perspective of someone desiring a relationship with an already committed individual, the track features lyrics such as “you say you got a lover, but you say I’m not like him” and “break up right now, you should be with me now.” This song introduces a lighthearted, rebellious dimension to the album.

The title track serves as an anthem of artistic dedication. It explores the concept of committing fully to one’s craft, even at personal cost. The lyric “Givin’ it all, all that I got, blood on the drums” encapsulates the central theme, declaring the extent to which Irwin has invested in his music and artistic identity.

I See the Angels transitions to themes of hope and reflection. The song addresses the pursuit of goodness and the choice of kindness over cruelty and judgment. It centers on individuals who transcend negativity to demonstrate compassion and acceptance. The lyric 'look in the mirror, do you see an angel?' prompts listeners to consider their own capacity for compassion. The phrase 'Not a sacrifice that’s worth who you are' underscores the importance of authenticity as an act of self-love.

Lose You examines the fear of losing a significant relationship. The song explores the internal conflict associated with decisions that could result in loss, ultimately emphasizing the importance of protecting love. Its message centers on valuing connection, appreciating existing relationships, and prioritizing meaningful bonds.

Rebel at Heart explores themes of self-identity and resilience. The track addresses overcoming the past, confronting addiction, and coping with the absence of a father figure. Through its lyrics, the song narrates the process of overcoming adversity and finding strength in authenticity. It advocates resistance to external definitions and challenges to societal systems perceived as flawed, ultimately serving as a declaration of personal rebellion.

Last Night of My Life reflects on the transience of life. The song underscores the unique opportunity each individual possesses and the unpredictability of its duration, encouraging intentional living. It combines reflection with a sense of liberation, urging a fearless embrace of existence and life.

Indestructible concludes The Thorns with a powerful message. The track addresses resilience in the face of personal struggles such as addiction and pain. The lyrics explore perseverance and the strength derived from overcoming individual challenges. It is a triumphant composition about transformation and human endurance.

Disc Two: The Roses

The Canyon, the first song composed for Blood on the Drums, establishes the emotional tone for The Roses. The track reflects on Irwin’s experiences in his twenties, particularly the prevalence of depression during that period. It draws a connection to troubling statistics concerning young men affected by mental health challenges. The canyon functions as a metaphor for internal struggles, representing a space of unspoken adversity. The lyric “many men are victim to the canyon” transforms the song into both a personal admission and a gesture of solidarity, conveying a message of unity.

California Holds Her Breath is a delicate, atmospheric composition that addresses addiction and the more somber aspects of Los Angeles. The song is characterized by subtle observation and compassion, illustrating the city’s simultaneous beauty and suffocating qualities. The track’s narrative begins with the lyric “straight out the gate she was a dancer right out the state of indiana.” Through Irwin’s soft vocals, the listener is invited to witness both the character’s journey and the artist’s concerns, as expressed in lines such as “I want to know where you go to show your secret face” and the chorus “I can see your heart reflected off that disco ball, writing down your next confession on the bathroom wall, while you’re hiding underneath your makeup I still see you cry, california holds her breath tonight.” In a 2024 interview with Kyle Meredith, Irwin discusses the inspiration behind the track, which was influenced by a friend involved in Alcoholics Anonymous. This friend shared, “every time I saw this woman I didn’t know if it would be the last time I would see her and I’d hold my breath until I would see her again.” The song ultimately addresses the fear that this woman may relapse into addiction.

Little Spark is a tender composition that portrays love as a source of light and stability. The song explores how one person’s presence can bring joy, balance, and emotional healing. References to “oxytocin” and “serotonin” underscore the essential nature of this love. The lyrics evoke vivid imagery of hotel rooms, late nights, and the comfort provided by someone who restores a sense of safety.

Wicked Habit extends the motif of love as addiction, presenting it from a more somber perspective. The song examines the experience of being consumed by passion and the difficulty of relinquishing a relationship, even when its toxicity is acknowledged. The lyrics liken love to a “poisonous addiction,” depicting a cycle that is simultaneously alluring and destructive.

Marry You narrates a love so powerful that it helped Irwin overcome a period of darkness. The lyrics convey both eagerness and hesitation regarding commitment. This track is deeply vulnerable, focusing on the experience of finding someone who restores belief in lasting connection.

Glory Days provides a nostalgic reflection on Irwin’s tenure with 5 Seconds of Summer. The song recalls the simplicity and freedom of the band’s formative years, celebrating experiences that contributed to his development. It strikes a balance between sentimentality and groundedness, expressing gratitude for both past experiences and personal growth.

Wild Things brings the album’s themes full circle. In a June 2024 interview with Popdust, Irwin reflected on the lyrics, “I know your thorns protect your roses,” clarifying that the thorns symbolize the mechanisms that shield him from failure or self-criticism. These represent the lessons, boundaries, and challenges that facilitate personal growth and development. The roses, or the most beautiful aspects of oneself, require protection rather than exposure. This lyric effectively unites the album’s two conceptual halves, The Thorns and The Roses.

Endless Wave concludes the album with a theme of acceptance. The song addresses the perpetual nature of change, struggle, and adversity, suggesting that life consists of continuous cycles of highs and lows.  that peace is attained not by resisting these fluctuations, but by learning to navigate them.

Blood on the drums is both a personal reckoning and a celebration of survival. It’s about the price of creating, the duality of beauty and pain, and the constant transformation that comes with being alive. Ashton Irwin bares his soul across both sides, thorns and roses alike, leaving behind one of his most raw, mature, and human works to date.

Boy (Luke Hemmings)

Mix glittery eyeshadow, a guitar pick, a mug of cold coffee, and nostalgia at 3am and you’ll have Boy by Luke Hemmings. In all seriousness though, Boy has such a beautiful sound and sentiment. Boy isn’t a sense of euphoria, but a sense of internal peace, even when it’s rough. This EP is like trying to figure out your fears when you don’t know what you’re doing.

Boy has a very ethereal and melodic sound, if you could describe glitter as a song, it’d be a song from Boy. Nothing about this EP feels rushed, it feels so deep, like everything's caving in.

Boy has plenty of themes, but a main central theme is definitely dealing with grief and loss, and being scared. It’s like a slow slip from reality. The song Close Your Eyes really represents this, it's a slow build up to the chorus, when the next verse starts, it’s like you’re back at the start again. Every detail in this EP is well thought out.

Boy just really represents the feeling of being lost and not knowing how to continue, and that’s why it’s so beautiful and relatable. The whole aesthetic works so perfectly with the album, it’s very bittersweet in the best way possible.

The record explores introspection, vulnerability, and the complexities of maturing in the public eye. Each track offers insight into Hemmings’s internal struggles with identity and the formative experiences that have shaped his development as both an individual and an artist.

I’m Still Your Boy addresses nostalgia and the sense of lagging behind in life, emphasizing the desire to preserve youthful innocence. The lyric “I wish I was younger, so I knew the end” encapsulates the longing for more time and the tension between youth and adulthood. The track resonates through candid lyrics and emotive vocal delivery.

Shakes adopts an upbeat yet emotionally nuanced tone, exploring themes of longing and the search for stability amid rapid change. The lyric “Lost in the morning, time starts to crawl” conveys emotional uncertainty and restlessness. Ethereal production enhances the track’s vulnerability, establishing a dynamic interplay between momentum and stillness.

Benny is deeply personal, written for Hemmings’s older brother. The song reflects on distance, family bonds, and the sacrifices made in life and career. The line “Should I be on a plane back home?” expresses longing for connection and the pull of home, offering an intimate perspective on Hemmings’s personal experiences.

Close My Eyes addresses anxiety and apprehension associated with the passage of time. Through lyrics such as “Now I don’t want to close my eyes, see everything I’ve ever done,” Hemmings examines the conflict between confronting the past and the desire to avoid it. The song’s haunting melody underscores the sense of being caught between reflection and unease.

Garden Life slows the pace, offering soft, reflective lyrics about gratitude and appreciation for simple moments. “It’s so dark and dreary. Please find the sun soon” evokes hope amidst struggle, illustrating how small joys can provide stability during challenging times. The track serves as a gentle reminder to pause and notice everyday beauty.

Close Enough to Feel You examines themes of longing, grief, and emotional intimacy. The lyric “I just wanna be close enough to feel you, but the pain is so familiar” encapsulates the tension between the desire for connection and the burden of emotional pain.

Promises addresses growth, acceptance, and embracing one’s identity. Lines such as “I wasn’t always a cynic … you saw the beauty inside it at twenty‑seven years old” highlight gratitude for those who recognize our value when we cannot. The track concludes the EP with a sense of hope and catharsis, unifying its overarching themes.

boy is a concise but emotionally resonant work. Luke Hemmings doesn’t shy away from his insecurities or mistakes. Instead, he uses them as the foundation for honest storytelling, blending intimate lyrics with atmospheric production. This EP solidifies his solo identity while complementing the work he does with 5 Seconds of Summer, demonstrating that his growth as an artist remains both compelling and relatable.

Nostalgia (Live from Los Angeles) 

Nostalgia is a live recording of the performance in Los Angeles for Boy. This performance really showed the talent of Luke and his raw voice, he has a beautiful live voice and this performance shows it. It’s such an Idyllic performance and nobody really has the capacity to come near it.

Order Chaos Order (Calum Hood)

Order chaos order is such a special album for the groovy moo team as we were able to ask Calum Himself about it!

The lead single, “Don’t Forget You Love Me,” offers a poignant exploration of vulnerability and the challenges of letting go. The track articulates universal emotions associated with love and loss. Hood explained that the phrase “Don’t forget you love me” was initially spoken to him, but by the conclusion of the song, it evolved into a personal mantra. Hood stated, “It was a situation. It was something that someone said to me, but then it became more of a mantra. It kind of crosses over different relationships in my life. It's something I would say to my family, because I left home so early, and also something I would say to myself. So it's multi-dimensional, I guess.”

Following that theme of introspection, “Call Me When You Know Better” reflects the spiral of overthinking and internal conflict. It’s an 80s-tinged, apology-laced love song filled with bittersweet synths and glitchy indie pop textures, echoing influences like LCD Soundsystem. Calum confronts his faults and self-awareness after the breakup, blending emotional vulnerability with sleek sonic craftsmanship.

“Sweetdreams” dives into darker territory "Sweetdreams” explores themes of addiction, escapism, and emotional stagnation. The track evokes the sensation of late-night introspection, depicting individuals unable to break free from their habitual patterns. Through polished alt-pop production, the song reflects emotional tunnel vision and existential fatigue, offering some of the album’s most vivid lyricism.

I wanted to stay,” written for Calum’s beloved dog, Duke, who has sadly passed away. It’s a raw, personal tribute that highlights the deep connection humans share with their pets.

“Sunsettter” serves as a reflective midpoint in the album, presenting a dreamy shoegaze-pop interlude that encapsulates the fragility of life and love. Constructed with soft, layered harmonies reminiscent of Sufjan Stevens or Elliott Smith, the track evokes the sensation of drifting through contemplative thoughts at dusk, with an acute awareness of life’s transience.

In “All My Affection,” Hood embraces spontaneity and collaboration. Co-written with Jackson Phillips and Elijah Noll, the song functions as a collaborative moodboard, celebrating self-discovery through connection with others. The track references the improvisational approaches of Bowie and Eno, capturing a sense of creative synergy.

“Endless Ways” conveys themes of hope and empathy, focusing on belief in human resilience. Subsequently, “Streetwise” introduces a more cinematic dimension, inspired by a 1980s documentary about runaway teens in Seattle. This track narrates stories of youthful survival and freedom through luminous dream-pop arrangements, evoking imagery of moonlit pursuits, urban landscapes, and lost innocence.

With “Dark Circles,” Calum contemplates an alternate version of his life, one where his band never existed. It’s a deeply personal song that imagines how different things might have been and explores identity beyond fame and celebrity. “I’ve shown them the album, they loved the album,” he says of his bandmates. “I don’t know if I told them directly what that song meant. Not sure if they know it, but yeah, I’d hope they react pretty well.”

The album concludes with “Three of Swords,” a haunting meditation on maturation and release. Named for the tarot card that represents heartbreak and healing, the track closes the record with a sense of poetic acceptance. Themes of nostalgia, family, and forgiveness converge as Hood reflects on his past and anticipates future tranquility.

With Order Chaos Order, Calum Hood delivers a deeply human record, raw, self-aware, and full of heart. It’s not just an exploration of chaos, but also a search for meaning and music within it. For more on this album, read our interview with Calum!

Sidequest 

 As we spoke on in our article earlier this year, sidequest was a pop punk MOMENT!! 

kill me for always (feat. Porter Robinson)

The emotionally charged opener establishes a bold tone, featuring Porter Robinson’s electronica-infused style. This track blends vibrant synths and bass with an energetic pop-punk foundation. It introduces the album’s central themes of precarious romance and self-reflection. The lyrics narrate the importance of self-love, emphasizing the vulnerability inherent in entrusting one’s heart to another.

Released as a single, Cool embraces self-aware nostalgia, with Clifford referencing his band through lyrics such as “the guy who caught fire with the coloured hair from the band with the song about underwear.” The track is witty and self-deprecating, featuring stadium-scale production and a pop-punk core. Cool has resonated with listeners who have struggled with feelings of inadequacy, and many fans have expressed appreciation for the song’s relatable lyrics.

Give Me a Break! (feat. Awsten Knight of Waterparks)

This duet examines burnout and impostor syndrome, focusing on emotional exhaustion experienced under public scrutiny. The track features rap-sung verses, high-energy guitars, and heightened tension through the contribution of Waterparks’ frontman. The accompanying music video pays tribute to anime, including references to Death Note, and celebrates fan fiction culture.

Remember When

This mid-tempo track evokes the cadence and vibrancy characteristic of early 5 Seconds of Summer work. Nostalgic and reflective, it stands out as one of the album’s more melodic moments. Notable lyrics include: "You say you love me, and I love you still, but this kinda love is gonna get us killed."

enough

Arguably, the emotional centrepiece. With haunting riffing and hoarse vocals, Clifford addresses self‑doubt and inner damage: “At 3 a.m. awake again… With friends like you, who needs a loaded gun?” The chorus pivots from cynicism to quiet hope, especially powerful when sung through the perspective of his daughter’s innocence. Fans have been especially fond of the moment when his vocals transform into a raspy scream. This song will make you reflect on the power of your words. This track subtly blends pop-punk elements with atmospheric electronics. Its lyrics and groove evoke a playful yet self-aware tone, reminiscent of classic 5SOS stylings. 

Thirsty

This acoustic-driven ballad highlights Clifford’s softer side. Sparse instrumentation and vulnerable lyricism provide a calm, intimate contrast to the album’s otherwise energetic pace. The track captures the initial intensity of falling in love, exemplified by lyrics such as "an honorable mention is never good enough."

Nosebleed

Melancholy heaven: quieter verses give way to well‑earned choruses. Themes of emotional bleed-through and vulnerability are underscored by Clifford’s desire to “play” even in sadness, creating a joyous, cathartic tension. This song feels like an early morning emotional page out of Clifford’s journal. Notable lyrics include "every girl I loved said she loved me bad, but she had her fingers crossed behind her back." 

If I Had a Choice (feat. Ryan Hall)

This collaboration with Ryan Hall adds emotional depth, as Hall’s heartfelt vocals complement lyrics that explore themes of choice, regret, and the desire for autonomy. The song is particularly poignant: “If I had a choice, I’d be someone else. ... cause it’s lately my own kind who’s breaking me inside.” The track is marked by self-reflection and self-deprecation, making it a powerful addition to the album.

Eclipse

The album’s finale culminates in a crescendo of hyperpop, genre-blending textures, and dynamic synth-rock. The track is cinematic and affirming, with Clifford concluding the album on a triumphant and exploratory note. Notable features include his daughter Lua’s giggles and the contribution of Sierra Hemmings, wife of bandmate Luke Hemmings, as a composer.

And that's the sauce of the day, Are you ready stars because tomorrow we return for the highly anticipated new album EVERYONE'S A STAR!!!