Ashton Irwin 'Superbloom' - Album Review

With 2020 being the way it is, it has allowed bands and band members to step out of their comfort zones and release different projects. This includes Ashton Irwin (drummer of 5 Seconds of Summer), who just released his debut solo album titled 'Superbloom.' Ashton explained in an Instagram post; "The album title SUPERBLOOM lasted the WHOLE process. I came up with the title alongside the first song we made. It sounded to me like my favourite 90's record that never existed." 'Superbloom' shows a more vulnerable Ashton side that fans of 5SOS have not been exposed to before. With themes of eating disorders, mental health and love, it shows that everyone deals with similar situations in their lives, and you are not alone. There is something on this album for everyone.

The album begins with 'SCAR,' which was the third and final promo single to be released. The song focuses on Ashton's struggles with depression. In the second verse, he references his mother, with who Ashton has a close relationship, significantly since she raised Ashton as a single parent, and he was the one to help her take care of his younger siblings. The third and fifth verses also mention his siblings. The first sibling he references is his sister Lauren. Ashton has stated she has helped him through tough times and has supported him since the beginning, and loves her. The next verse is for his brother Harry in which Ashton says he speaks to every day and hopes that he can help him grow into a better man. 'SCAR' is an excellent example of the 90's rock that inspired the whole album! (It even has a bit of harp in it!) 

The album continues with its 90's rock-inspired sound for the next songs. 'Have You Found What You're Looking For' and 'Skinny Skinny' contain that grungy guitar that was popular back in the late '90s? Ashton does what he does best with the drums on 'Have You Found What You're Looking For' and harmonizes with himself, showing off his vocal range that fans have waited so long to hear, especially during the bridge where Ashton holds the notes for a lengthy duration of time. 

'Skinny Skinny' is more on the grungier side with an intro consisting of palm muting on an acoustic guitar, which sounds similar to the Nirvana classic 'All Apologies.'  The first single released, 'Skinny Skinny,' focuses on eating disorders and the struggle of not feeling like you belong in your body. Ashton explains how he did not feel comfortable in his body, which caused him to suffer from an eating disorder (probably bulimia).  Indicated in the post-chorus with the lyrics "I wanna eat, I wanna stay thin," as well as the lyrics "My fingers stretching into my larynx" in the second verse. This song is an excellent example of how even men can suffer from body image issues, and this was Ashton's way of educating others on a sometimes taboo topic. 

The cruel treatment inspired the next track titled 'Greyhound.' Ashton witnessed what greyhound racing dogs would endure before their races and if they did not place in the top three when he worked at a racing business.  A heavier song musically and lyrically, when you know the origins of the track, you can begin to imagine the lyrics coming from the dog's point of view. 'Greyhound' is the song you think of when someone mentions rock. From the bass to the guitar solo after the bridge, to the vocals, rock is the genre that Ashton's voice was made for. 

Halfway through the record, we reach an interlude appropriately titled 'Matter of Time.' Featuring cellos and other string instruments, this two minute almost ballad is a reminder to the listeners that even though you might be struggling with something at a point in your life, there is still time for things to get better, and they will. So do not give up because you won't always feel this way, and there is a light at the end of the tunnel. 

'Sunshine' is a song that seems appropriate to how the world is at the current moment. In this song, Ashton describes how he is upset at society's way but should always look for the sunshine to distract yourself from all the negativity. Also featuring cellos, but with just a faster tempo, 'Sunshine' is the perfect transition from the previous interlude. Using a 3/4 timing, same as the Waltz, the music sounds just like what you would think of when you think about sunshine, and you can even picture yourself sitting on a sunny mountain top admiring the view!

Bringing back the synthesizers and powerful drum beats, we reach probably the loudest and darkest song on the entire album. 'The Sweetness' is referencing the happy thoughts in Ashton's head that are overpowering the demons that also live inside him. The lyrics are very repetitive, which in this case works well with the theme of the song. When you go through depression, your emotions kind of go in waves. One second you are having all these evil thoughts (the darkness), and then the next thing you know, you start to feel like yourself again (the sweetness), and the cycle continues non stop. As the song concludes, you are greeted with a creepy sounding voice. The voice is likely representing the darkness and how it is still there and always waiting to creep back into your head again.

Not your typical breakup song, 'I'm To Blame', doesn't focus on the relationship's negatives. Still, more of Ashton admitting that he blames himself for the relationship ending but then explains that it isn't a negative thing that the relationship ended, as it helped both of them find their right paths in life. Once again, Ashton shows off his vocal range and unique drumming abilities that we all love him for.

Possibly one of the more personal songs on Superbloom, 'Drive,' is a song Ashton wrote for his girlfriend who's dad passed away, and Ashton was with here while she was experiencing this terrible loss in her life. The song's main idea is learning how to process your grief and have someone help you through it rather than letting it become this thing that completely blinds you. The way Ashton thought of helping his girlfriend with her grief was to take her for a drive around California since there are plenty of lookouts and places to drive away from the city and help you clear your thoughts where they can sit in private and talk about anything you need to get off your chest. Just taking a drive and being there for someone while dealing with something is sometimes all that person needs to feel better. 

Finally, we reach the final song titled 'Perfect Lie.' Opening with a synth and an electronic voice effect creating a futuristic tone to the music. In an Instagram live, Ashton explained that this song's idea stemmed from old songs he and the boys in 5sos wrote when starting as a band. The whole piece is Ashton saying how he loved the songs he wrote with the band at the time, but as they all got older, he began to fall out of love with certain songs even if these songs brought them to where they are now. The lyric "I'll try to love without hating you" is a nod to those older songs with Ashton saying that he wants to stop hating on the type of music he released at a different time in his life. He also mentions how some of their most popular songs are breakup songs, and now that those are the band's most famous songs, they are forced in a sense to play them every night, bringing them back to the mindset they had when they originally released the songs rather than moving on from once was. 

In the end, 'Superbloom' is a fantastic album for a first-time solo artist! You can tell with each song that Ashton put his entire heart and soul into them. This album is a great way to see a more vulnerable side of him that many fans may not have known before. 'Superbloom' is not the album you think of when someone says 5sos, but Ashton has successfully made an album that shows a different music style that would not necessarily work for his band. Ashton is an inspiration for other artists that want to make a side project who may be too scared to do so, but without 'Superbloom,' nobody may have ever known what Ashton was capable of creating! You can listen to 'Superbloom' for yourself on any streaming service, and be sure to follow Ashton on his social media to be kept up to date with him and his music!

 

Wallows 'Remote' - EP Review

 

       As we know, 2020 has not been the year for music lovers. With Covid-19 ruining everyone's concert plans and bands having so much more time on their hands, there is lots of time for them to record more music! That is what Wallows have done. Written and recorded during the quarantine period, the Wallows boys have released their newest EP titled 'Remote.' The entire writing and recording process was done remotely, with the band sharing voice memos they recorded off their phones during the creation of the EP. Consisting of 6 songs and a run time of about 15 minutes, you get transported into what can only be an '80s/90's coming of age film. With nostalgic synthesizers and the band's classic Indie sounding vocals, you feel like you are in a different time where everything is good in the world while listening. The transitions between each song are just another reason you need to listen to the songs to experience the full effect! 

    

    Track number two, titled 'Dig What You Dug' is a personal favourite mainly because of the guitar, and I can picture my friends and I at a party dancing our hearts out! Each song focuses on being in love, and honestly, who doesn't love a good love song? Especially when it makes you so happy to listen to it! With so many funky sounds going on throughout the EP, you have reached the end before you know it, but as stated earlier, everything transitions so smoothly you can't even tell when the previous song ends, and the new one begins. 

    

    'Remote' is a prime example of how even though bands can't be together physically right now, they can still create notable works of art. They are also learning different ways to be creative out of the studio by merely being experimental with how they write and even record their songs. Wallows have once again created an EP you need to check out if you want a collection of songs that make you want to dance around your room and live out the scenarios in your head of being the main character in your own storyline! 

Alec Benjamin 'These Two Windows' - Album Review

    Alec Benjamin, known for songs such as 'Water Fountain' and 'Let Me Down Slowly' just released his debut album! Titled "These Two Windows," the album which was set to release April 3rd, but was pushed back to May 29th, as it needed a few touchups is finally ready to be shared with the world. This album features Alec writing about his struggle with relationships both romantically and personally, his fights with his inner demons, and even demonstrates how he always wants to make people feel good. 

     The album begins with a series of songs on how Alec is dealing with the thoughts in his head and his emotional state. More on the topic of how Alec just overthinks and hopes one day to overcome it, these songs are sure to be relatable to anybody. Young, old, everyone deals with something at some point and these few songs help the listener understand that they really are not alone and that they are not the only ones dealing with these thoughts or thinking people assume they're crazy. He also focuses on how he realizes there are people who will be there for you and then when you think you don't need them anymore you slowly drift away from them even though they'll continue to be there for you. 

     Alec is a very compassionate person with a huge heart, and that shows in the song 'Must Have Been The Wind.' The song tells the story of a girl Alec knew who was in an abusive relationship. When the girl doesn't want to talk about the situation with Alec, he reminds her that he will always be willing to listen whenever she's ready and that he cares. It is such a beautiful song with an even more beautiful message! 

     One of Alec Benjamin's biggest influences is Eminem. The song 'Alamo' is a great representation of that when the bridge kicks in with Alec doing a spoken word esque rap for the verse which details more of Alec's battle with his inner demons. The bridge describes how on the outside he may appear like he's fine but on the inside he can't sleep, barely eats and how he feels trapped inside his head. It's very similar to a few of Eminem's verses in his songs 'Mockingbird' and 'Relapse' which feature a imilar theme of sadness and struggling in your personal life. 

     'These Two Windows' concludes with a song that is dedicated to Alec's dad. Alec is no stranger to writing about his family. On his first mixtape 'Narrated For You' his song 'If We Have Eachother' is dediated to his sister, each verse of that song concludes with the subjects being strengthened by the love from their loved ones. On this album, 'Just Like You' focuses on Alec's relationship with his dad. Alec admits that he would get in arguments with his dad that caused him to even block his number which he now regrets. The chorus and remaining verses is Alec saying that now that he's much older he realizes that his father had his own issues but still did everythig he could to support his family. Alec is telling his dad that when he eventually becomes a father he hopes to be just as good as him. I feel as though this song in particular will resonate with audiences a lot. 

     Overall, 'These Two Windows' is absolutely amazing for a debut release! Not once did I feeel like a song didn't fit or that there was a song that didn't fit into the tracklist. Fans and even people who have nevr listened to Alec's music before will love this album and will find a favourite songor just a song they can relate to! Be sure to stream 'These Two Windows' on whatever streaming platform you prefer and follow Alec on Twitter and Instagram for updates on his life, music and his upcoming tour!  

      

5 Seconds Of Summer 'CALM' - Track by Track Album Review

     Australian pop-rock band 5 Seconds Of Summer have just released their 4th studio album titled 'CALM' which was purposefully done as the first names of each member spell it out. Calum Hood, Ashton Irwin, Luke Hemmings, and Michael Clifford. This is an album the fans have been waiting for, coming off of 2018's album 'Youngblood", a headline tour, and a co-headlining tour with The Chainsmokers, we were due for some new music. As always, the band demonstrates their growth as musicians. Luke's vocals getting more and more powerful with each record. This album follows the band through love and heartbreak. The emotion in the songs are perfectly represented, you really get an understanding of how the boys were feeling at the time the songs were written. Let's break down each song one by one and really dive into the minds of 5SOS.

Red Desert 
     First played at the Australia Firefight benefit show, this was the first taste we had of the album (not including the 2 previously released singles at the time). The group harmonies opening up the song gives the album a perfect introduction. The drums being the most prominent part of the song, fans of the song "Meet You There" will thoroughly enjoy this one. This is one of the many songs I can already imagine being played live and when you can imagine how a song will look production-wise, then I'd say it's a good one!

No Shame
     Here we have the third single the band released before the album release. With a very catchy chorus that always will make you want to dance and just an overall really fun vibe, this is one song that will probably be stuck in your head for weeks. I know it was for me! With a more rocky influence, No Shame is different from the boys' other stuff, but not so different where you still know it's a 5SOS song.

Old Me
     The 4th single from the album, the song gives you a nostalgic feeling. Dwelling on how they made mistakes in the past both in life and relationship-wise, they learn to accept the mistakes they made and how they've grown from them. This is another song I can imagine live. One of the more emotional songs on the album, this is a song that I can see being used at the end of the year recaps to show people how the person has changed. The chorus starts with a drumbeat that will get you pumped up, it's a song you can listen to on repeat and not get bored of it!

Easier
     This was the first single the band released before we had an album release date or title. Released during the break between the Meet You There tour and The Chainsmokers tour, this was our first taste at what the new 5SOS era was going to entail. A catchy bassline and even catchier pre-chorus, this was 5SOS demonstrating they can make "heavier" music that isn't their normal poppy sound! Luke's vocals really help show the range he has and how his voice can fit a more rock style.

Teeth
     This was the second single the band released. With a bass intro that you can recognize within the first 30 seconds and a chorus that really tells the listener that this isn't the same 5SOS from before. This is their first heaviest song. This song live absolutely goes hard. This is a song for the people who never really were into 5SOS could listen to and enjoy it! This is one of my personal favorites on the album as its just so fun whether you are dancing alone in your room, blasting it through your car radio or seeing it live! This song will never not be fun and will always be something to get you hyped up.

Wildflower
     Here we have the fifth and final single released just two days before the album drop. Fans will take a liking to this song as the entire thing is sung by bassist Calum Hood. Wildflower is CALM's version of Youngblood's "Babylon." This is a song perfect for a summer drive or just a perfect summertime song. This was the song fans were most excited about, and I can proudly say they won't be disappointed!

Best Years
     Here we have the song which made me fall to my bedroom floor and cry when I first heard it. This song is so cute! Luke promising that he will give the subject of the song (more than likely his girlfriend, Sierra Deaton) the best years they've had and promises an amazing relationship. You can hear the emotion in Luke's voice for the entire duration of the song and any song that can make me cry will always get a top spot on my list.

Not In The Same Way
     A song about a toxic/unhealthy relationship. This song is basically the story of a relationship turned sour. The boys telling this person that they love them and the other person reciprocating but doesn't love them in the way same way. As they struggle throughout the relationship the song mentions all the problems they had and how they tried to fix them but to no avail. Definitely going to be a relatable song for lots of people, I can imagine how good shouting 'Not in the same way' during a show with thousands of other people in unison will feel like an out of body experience.

Lover Of Mine
     My personal favorite on the album. Written by Luke and his girlfriend on their living room couch. This is my favorite because you can really hear the emotion in Luke's voice and you can hear how in love he is with Sierra. Once the drums kick in and the song gets more intense, it sounds like a song you would hear in a movie, which is the kind of song I live for. If I can imagine a movie or a single scene in my head when listening to a song then I know the artist has done an amazing job telling a story.

Thin White Lines
     I don't think this song gets the recognition it deserves if I'm being honest. It's very good and the intro with the guitar reminds me of the overall vibe of the band's previous album and driving down by the beach in the summer. Just like other songs on this album, shouting out 'thin white lines' during a show will be such a fun experience! I think everyone needs to give this song a chance because it's not bad, it might not be everyone's vibe, but nonetheless, I think it has the potential to be one of those songs where people don't like it at first but then it grows on them.

Lonely Heart
     There is without a doubt in my mind that this is the BEST song on CALM. I was in so much shock when I first listened to it because it starts out so slow and acoustic and then the chorus picks up and its a total surprise! Definitely a song you'll be able to dance to and the harmonies between all 4 of the boys are going to sound beautiful live. This is exactly the style of music I hope 5SOS continue to make. Also, Ashton's drums during this song add so much more to it I can't even put it into words.

High
     If you thought we were going to get an entire album and not have one sad song then you were mistaken. Ending the album with a sad acoustic song is the perfect closer for this album. I would call this the second part of Not In The Same Way. Where that song was about a toxic relationship, High is more like the regret of not being in a relationship anymore and its another song that the fans will probably relate to.

     Overall, this is 5 Seconds of Summer's best album to date. It's so different compared to their other albums and there wasn't one song where I needed to skip because I wasn't feeling it. If you showed this album to someone who doesn't know 5SOS or doesn't like them, they will even like it! 5 Seconds of Summer are one the best bands around right now, and CALM proves how much hard work they put into this album. So please, go give CALM a listen. I promise you won't regret it and you will find a song you like as it has something for everyone!

Wallows 'Nothing Happens' Tour | Montreal, Quebec Concert Review

   

  I got to attend Wallows 'Nothing Happens' tour on February 29th in Montreal and to put it short what a better way to spend the Leap Day than with the Wallows boys! The Montreal show was the only show on this tour where they played the regular show as well as a matinee show earlier in the day because of the shows selling out the fastest out of all the other dates. My day started around 9:45am and getting to the venue for noon as the first of two shows began at 2:30pm. It was an extremely cold day as my feet lost all feeling in them after only being in the queue for thirty minutes. You'd think living in Canada I would know how to prepare for cold weather, but when you are standing in one place for hours on end, no matter how much you prepare you will more than likely freeze. After about an hour in the queue, which felt like an eternity after freezing for so long, we were let inside!

     Since this was the matinee show, there was no VIP or opening bands. Which meant we got a full hour of just Wallows! 2:30pm hit and the lights go out. We were told that the setlist for the matinee show was going to be slightly different over the main setlist which was really fun as none of us in the crowd knew what to expect. Braeden Lemasters (guitar/vocals) was the first to walk out on stage. He was all by himself. He told us that since this was the earliest they have played we were going to start with a slower song. He opened with '1980's Horror Film' which was a great surprise considering that is one of the songs not on the normal setlist! The crowd was one of the better crowds I ever experienced. Nobody was pushing, no one was being aggressive, and everyone was being very respectful towards everyone around them! The matinee show was exactly an hour long. I was having so much fun that the hour flew by to me and before I knew it the first of my two Wallows shows was over and I had to go back out into the cold. As we exited the venue the VIPs for the 8pm show already began to line up.

     Throughout this tour, Wallows have been partnering with different non-profit organizations at every tour stop. They would encourage fans to bring in donations to help these non-profits and in exchange for helping out your community, you would receive a free "I Donated At A Wallows Show" pin! As soon as the matinee show ended I headed over to the drug store and picked up a few items to donate. If any of you plan on going to a Wallows show on this run, I encourage you all to donate something because you really do feel good knowing you helped someone in your community! Every day the band posts on their Instagram story what donations the non-profit of the day would like. It's normally as simple as some canned food or even some travel-sized hygiene products. After purchasing the items I planned on donating, I headed back to the venue to queue once again in the freezing cold. As soon as the doors opened, I dropped off my bag of donations, grabbed my pin and headed back inside for round 2.

     The opening band for the tour is Penelope Isles, the UK based 4-piece band. I had no knowledge of this band before going into the show, but I sure did have a fun time watching them! It's hard to put an official label on what genre they would be classified under but the alternative music scene needs to keep up with them because they deserve so much success! Their set was very chill and vibey and not once did I look at the time to see how much longer until it was over. I thoroughly enjoyed the entire thing. Definitely check out Penelope Isles on Spotify if you have not already.

     Now it was time to see Wallows again! They ended up switching up the order of songs and opened up with 'Do Not Wait' over 'Treacherous Doctor.' You would assume that the second Wallows show of the day would be similar to the first one just with a few extra songs? Well, you would be very wrong! The second time around was like a whole different experience! Once again the crowd was phenomenal and so much better than what I expected which I think made everything better. For how tired I was that entire day, I didn't stop jumping or dancing ONCE. It was such fun and the energy all night was through the roof. At one point, Braeden told the crowd to open a pit and then realized what he said because the look of  'What have I just done' that appeared on his face was priceless!

     Once the show ended and the adrenaline started to slow down I was in so much pain, and I was so exhausted as I've never done two concerts on the same day before but it was so worth it and it will always be something I'll remember. There is not one thing I would have changed about Leap Day besides maybe the weather. If you are a fan of Wallows and want to see them on tour I would 100% recommend it! If you are not a fan of Wallows but want to experience a really fun night, then I also would recommend you going to see them play it definitely has made it into my top 3 concerts for overall experience! To learn more about Wallows and see what they are up to, you can follow them on everything @wallowsmusic.