5 Seconds of Summer release 'less upbeat' new album Sounds Good Feels Good today
The Australian four-piece, who play Hong Kong in March, say their second album reflects the highs and lows of life on the road
Pop fluff or bona fide rockers? Australian pop-punk sensation 5 Seconds of Summer have gone from YouTube fame to a world tour that calls through Hong Kong on March 10, with a follow-up to their hit debut album out today.
The four young men from Sydney, who reject any comparison to British boy band One Direction, whom they supported on their 2013 world tour, say they are going for a darker, deeper sound on their new album, Sounds Good Feels Good.
“There’s a lot of people that have influenced us. Anyone from Queen, INXS, endless rock bands and classic rock,” says 21-year-old drummer Ashton Irwin. “That was something we really struggled with when we went into the studio because we want to sound like a lot of things,” he says.
Sporting skinny black jeans, black boots and messy hair, the band spoke about their dizzying rise, the mixed reviews they have received and the determination needed for a music career. “If you think you have something special and different that no one else can offer, which is what we thought we had, stick to it, and don’t let anyone touch your baby,” says 19-year-old guitarist and singer Luke Hemmings.
With their shiny, radio-friendly, guitar-laden pop comparable to US punk acts Green Day and Blink-182, the band have sold 3.2 million copies of last year’s debut album.