5 Seconds of Summer (5SOS) has officially gone solo, with the fourth and final member, bassist Calum Hood, releasing his first song “Don’t Forget You Love Me” ahead of his upcoming album “ORDER chaos ORDER” dropping this June.
Hood surprised fans with the release of the single on Thursday, announcing his forthcoming album shortly after. “Don’t Forget You Love Me” was not what I was expecting out of Hood’s solo music, but I was pleasantly surprised.
My immediate reaction to the song was that it sounded like it could fit right in with one of The 1975’s songs, and I mean that as a compliment. It has a synth sort of sound paired with smooth and mesmerizing vocals and if you listen close enough, hauntingly heartbreaking lyrics.
The song sets up a somber and introspective vibe for the upcoming album which Hood describes as his way of putting to words feelings he isn’t able to explore while working with the band; “my family, my upbringing, the places life has taken me. This album is about laying those things to rest and allowing listeners to connect in their own way,” he told Billboard.
Although Hood and his bandmates Luke Hemmings, Ashton Irwin and most recently Michael Clifford have all released solo projects, they remain committed to the band as well. Hood assures fans they have nothing to worry about with the security of the band in the description of his YouTube channel stating, “Relationship status: still in the band.”
“Don’t Forget You Love Me” clearly displays Hood grappling with a relationship ending and the flood of feelings that come with not having that person in your life anymore, especially guilt and regret for how things played out.
“‘Cause on that last night / Instead of looking for a fight / I should’ve looked you in the eyes / ‘Cause what it really was / Was me begging / Don’t forget you love me / Love me,” Hood confesses in the chorus.
Regardless of what this says about me, I am always more drawn to emotional and reflective songs, and Hood’s single more than satisfies that. I can’t wait to see how he dives deeper into this sound and these vibes in the rest of “ORDER chaos ORDER.”
4/5 stars
mkane10@ramapo.edu
Featured photo courtesy of @calumhood, Instagram
