Review: 5 Seconds of Summer – Take My Hand

Following up comeback single ‘Complete Mess’ incredibly quickly, 5 Seconds of Summer solidify their entrance into the untitled 5SOS5 era with ‘Take My Hand’, just in time for the first leg of the tour of the same name; celebrating the previous era of CALM, as well as welcoming the fifth album.

5 seconds of Summer did not fail to stay relevant throughout the last two turbulent years, and as we slowly start wave good-bye to the pandemic, they continue to stay at the top of their game introducing their new album exactly years after the release of the last one. CALM was 5SOS’ only release that they were unable to tour immediately, as they found its release colliding with the introduction of lockdown restrictions across the world.  Yet, they continued to promote it and provided fans with the comfort needed during the most uncertain times of the pandemic. In 2021, they celebrated 10 years together as a band with a big YouTube show commemorating their decades together with performances, gag skits, 10 podcast episodes for each year and hilarious VTs filled with nostalgia for OGs. Yet throughout both years, they continued to write music, both as a band and throughout their various solo projects.

‘Take My Hand’, therefore, is evidence of the hard work they have put in while locked down, left to their own devices. Written by Luke Hemmings and produced by guitarist Michael Clifford, it is truly the bands handiwork, talent, and artistry at its core. From the word go, the song constitutes four minutes of incredible lyricism and sophisticated production. From the very beginning the guiding melody leads you through every emotion of the song, from the sadness and wistfulness of the opening verse, into the rising hopefulness and energy as the song progresses. The second verse builds further onto this melody, speeding up and exploring darker themes of self regret and it returns to thee hopefulness in the second chorus, supported by the addition of complicated percussion developments in the chorus, leading very smoothly into a jam-packing middle eight, full of energy. The penultimate chorus sets up perfectly for a chorus that has me dancing around my room every time.

I genuinely love the way the production compliments the darker lyricism; Clifford and Hemmings truly do make a brilliant team on this song, and it is going to be really interesting to see how Clifford’s production on a lot of this album pans out and fares against this and Complete Mess.

Overall, I genuinely have no complaints; I’m very excited to hear this energy-packed song in a live arena setting1

‘Take My Hand’  is out now, and you can watch the Visualiser here, via BMG