During quarantine, I wrote an entire thesis gushing about how awesome 5 Seconds of Summer (5SOS) is. All four members of the band are great, talented guys and I love their friendship and teamwork.
But for this blog post, I'm going to play favorites a little bit and focus on my lane.
(This is another piece that I am ending up perfecting and adding to as it's live. lol :P I did manage to publish and share this one, but I have been reverting it to drafts because I always feel like it is not ready yet as I revise. I also consider it kind of long and maybe too personal on my end and I'm not that comfortable revealing too much about myself. I love this album so much that I want to be sure that I do my writing about it justice. However, I do think that this is a decent piece and I did have the intention of sharing it, so I'll do my best with it. I want to finally leave it as is once and for all and stop being a perfectionist with it soon.)
One fine day in September, I decided to check Google for some updated news. Imagine my surprise as an Ashton Girl to see THIS:
I had to do a double take before it fully registered. I got so excited that I started to shake, my palms started to sweat, and my mind was so distracted by this. LOL
So the drummer from 5SOS has released his debut solo album Superbloom on October 23. I still can't believe that this is real life. For months he had been missing from Twitter and people were wondering where he was. Little did we know what he was up to. When he said that he was writing during quarantine, he wasn't kidding!
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| The only Spotify ad I have really cared about lol |
Before he even announced this I often wondered what it would be like if he went solo. Like how would a drummer go solo? I was thinking like, would he produce an album just of him drumming? How would that work?
Now we know. At least for Ashton Irwin.
The reason why this is such a huge deal is because it is so rare for Ashton to sing in a 5SOS song to begin with and it's always a treat whenever he does. I remember watching the "She's Kinda Hot" music video for the first time and freaking out when his solo came on because it was so unexpected. He has solos here and there, and he even has his own song on the Target Exclusive edition of their album Youngblood (2018) called "Best Friend," but hearing his vocals is seriously lacking, especially lately. In their latest album CALM (2020), he only has one lyric in their opening song "Red Desert," and I didn't even know that until I saw a YouTube comment saying it. (But now I'm hearing that it's NOT him but Luke instead... I don't know.)
The problem that I have with Ashton is that there is no solution for this, so there's really no use in me complaining about it. Because he's the drummer, it's probably difficult for him to multitask drumming and singing simultaneously, but at the same time, I don't want to take him away from the drums in order for him to sing more. He thrives behind the drums. That's where he belongs and where he looks the most at home (to the point where when someone else is doing the drumming and he's doing someothing else, it looks wrong). That's his thing. But he is such a multi-talented person that I hate seeing him kinda held back and shoved in the background because he's a drummer. But he is just there doing his job as a drummer and HE DRUMS SO WELL. It's a catch-22 really.
I keep thinking that they could at least produce more songs in different styles that allow for more leeway here, for they have done acoustic versions of their songs and other covers in which he does sing more in the past. But now it seems that we are getting this with Superbloom. This entire record is fully Ashton and under his control, along with the help of his housemate, music producer Matthew Pauling. All I kept seeing is how much fans want him to sing more in 5SOS songs, and now we got something even better. I could not be happier.
So because this is a first for him, I have decided to review Superbloom. I wanted to make sure that I did this for Ashton's work simply because this might be my only chance. We don't know if this is going to be his only solo album, but I hope that it's not. I don't like that it is being referred to as a "side project" because that is suggesting to me that he is going to be "one and done" with this just to get it out of his system and I feel that he has way more to offer. I like that he has the creative freedom to have a solo career while still remaining as a member of 5 Seconds of Summer. It's the best of both worlds. He's being a smart businessman right now taking this opportunity to finally release his own work while 5SOS currently remains dormant thanks to the pandemic. However, he has also said that he would like to make future solo material as well, so there's something to look forward to. :) But either way, I am happy to review his very first one.
An advantage Ashton has here is that nobody expected this from him because 5 Seconds of Summer has not disbanded. When One Direction went on their hiatus, fans wondered about their future solo material. Here, Ashton announced this out of nowhere, so he was able to work on this in his own time without people waiting on him and making assumptions about his solo sound, so there was no pressure on him. I also love that he released this as an independent artist. I don't think he intended for this record to be up for any awards or charts either. He just made it because he wanted to and that's why it's such a good, authentic album. What will be interesting now is if he produces solo albums in the future and how they will compare.
I love how much detail he put into this as well. He hosted an Instagram livestream release party where he explains each song one by one and also released a live concert film for the album one week after the album's release.
Let me brag about his credentials really quick: He can sing all different ranges, both high and low notes. He can play drums, guitar, piano, and I'm also hearing the saxophone and didgeridoo as well. When he is not performing musically, he is hyping up the crowd.
When you get a chance, look up performance videos of 5SOS or Ashton by himself and just WATCH HIM. You would think that my focus would be on Luke Hemmings because he’s the frontman and face of the band, but no, my eyes dart directly to Ashton. He has impeccable stage presence, both in front of and behind the drums. He doesn’t just perform "to" the audience. There is no barrier between him, the music, and his viewers. It is all one huge experience. He IS the performance. He lets the music consume him to the point where it completely possesses him and he becomes one with it. He is not just a manufactured singer or musician; He is a true ARTIST. He is magical to watch.
I've realized too now that when he and the rest of 5SOS played Tattoo Roulette on "The Late Late Show with James Corden," he was the main one to involve audience participation. Watching this video was when it first dawned on me that he was the comedian of the group. lol
He co-directed the "Valentine" music video and practically every song in the 5 Seconds of Summer catalogue lists him in the writing credits. Now we've also learned that he has a dance background because of his "Skinny Skinny" music video. Oh, and he has some decent acting skills, is a trained swimmer, and likes to cook and garden too.
Ashton's gardening was an ongoing saga throughout the quarantine. He kept talking about it in interviews and livestreams. I came across a thread of tweets suggesting that him talking about his “gardening” might have been merely a code word to say that he was working on his album. This blew my mind! He was actually gardening too, so therefore this is a clever metaphor that he came up with.
The tweets, which were referencing 5SOS's most recent "Ask Anything" video, additionally said that Ashton was alluding to some of his track titles when he answered what he liked to do during quarantine.
This blew my mind even more! Because they're right! Look!:
"I like to garden."/"I like to talk to my plants." (Superbloom)
"I like to say hello to dogs I see in the street." ("Greyhound")
"I like to watch the sunset." ("Sunshine")
This all makes perfect sense when you think about the album's title. “Superbloom” is defined on Wikipedia as “a rare desert botanical phenomenon in which an unusually high proportion of wildflowers whose seeds have lain dormant in desert soil germinate and blossom at roughly the same time.” There’s some connection to CALM (2020) right there with “desert” and “wildflower.” This all came full circle when he himself explained why he chose this name as that he is "blossoming" into the man he is supposed to be.
I also want to point this out. Note the similarities between the CALM and Superbloom trailers:
And now compare the illustrations for his singles "Skinny Skinny," "Have U Found What Ur Looking For?" and "Scar" to the symbols for 5SOS's "Easier." If I'm correct, Ashton himself designed those symbols. I've seen photos and videos of him painting them.
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| From this tweet |
The artwork and videography is exactly the same! (However, he did credit his friend Gianni Arone for the Superbloom artwork as well.) Ashton even provided the doodles for the 5 Seconds of Summer (2014) album.
This tells me (well, rather confirms for me, because I have already been thinking it) that Ashton Irwin is the mastermind behind 5 Seconds of Summer and everything they do. He even created the short lived "Teeth Challenge" and I think also the "safety pin" concept for Sounds Good Feels Good (2016). He's the idea guy whose wheels are always turning about how to promote them better while keeping everyone else's best interests in mind and the momentum going. He is usually the spokesperson in interviews and overall mouthpiece of the group that when he's quiet, it's deemed unusual and questioned. He has demonstrated leadership skills, such as thinking up their charity organization Friends of Friends and usually running the 5SOS social media accounts. He is the main 5 Seconds of Summer member always interacting with fans on social media, even from his personal accounts.
(I apologize if I'm not attributing all of this to the correct 5SOS member. However, right now I'm under the impression that Ashton is the one who did/does all of this stuff that I've mentioned.)
At first I thought that I was maybe exaggerating his role in this band (and hoping that I wasn't), but he has pretty much stated this himself now too.
What CAN'T he do? Let's ask THAT question. He is always motivated and always working, whether it is for 5 Seconds of Summer or his own personal ventures.
Ashton is not just a drummer. He is THE band member. 5SOS just wouldn't be the same without him. I like the other guys too and they contribute a lot as well, don't me wrong. But they officially became 5 Seconds of Summer when HE was added to the band. And as the drummer, he is always consistent and carries the songs too.
Ashton is always so passionate about his art and wellness and how grateful and excited he is for being a part of 5 Seconds of Summer and whatever they do. It is so heartwarming and, most importantly, genuine. In "The Green Room With Neil Griffiths" podcast, Ashton straight up says, "I f***ing love 5 Seconds of Summer." I am yet to hear any other member of any band express their love for their band as much as he does.
Becoming a 5SOS fan during the COVID-19 lockdown led me to become accustomed to the nostalgia of buying CDs again, of which I now have a decently sized collection of current music. 5SOS was truly my quarantine savior, so I made it a point to purchase their physical music once stores started to reopen again and I felt comfortable enough to enter them. So far I've bought Youngblood (Deluxe), CALM (Standard Edition), and CALM (Target Exclusive) (my pride and joy!). I listen to these in the car and in my CD player at home all the time now. The only one I struggled to find in stock locally was the Youngblood (Target Exclusive), which I wanted badly only because it had more songs on it, particularly Ashton's "Best Friend." I was so irritated that the one time he has a song to himself it's on the now unavailable Target exclusive album from two years ago.
But now it's like, no big deal! We have Superbloom now! I just wasn't meant to have that particular CD maybe.
I had a feeling that I was going to love Superbloom. Harry Styles's Fine Line (2019) speaks to me in a way regarding self-discovery, especially with songs "Lights Up" and "Fine Line," but that album is also about him going through a relationship heartbreak that resulted in this self-discovery. Though I see some similarities between Harry's and Ashton's music, among other things, Superbloom seemed to be more about how Ashton's general life struggles formed him into the man he is today and less about the romantic side, which is something that I can relate to better. His honesty and vulnerability in his art is much to be admired.
(Sidenote: I love that Ashton and I are often on the same page when it comes to favorite songs. Some of his favorite Harry songs are “Golden” and “Meet Me in the Hallway,” his favorite One Direction song [and my second favorite 1D song lol] is “Stockholm Syndrome," and some of his favorite 5SOS songs, and the ones that he is most proud of right now, are “Teeth” and “Red Desert.” Same. :) He and I also seem to favor "More" from Youngblood.)
As opposed to Harry's discreet song explanations, Ashton writes whole essays about the inspiration and artistic process behind his work, which is more my speed. He treats his fans as his friends that are on this journey with him (and this is exactly what he has said) as he shows us behind the scenes media of the album being recorded and him actually opening his merch and vinyl packages. As a fellow writer and also journalist, I appreciate all of the information I can grasp and how excited he is to share these details and stories little by little. And even though I am private about my creative writing, I like explaining that too, so I totally understand him.
When Ashton first dropped the "Skinny Skinny" music video, for some reason he very briefly had issues with YouTube making it unsearchable. He tweeted about this, saying, "I refuse to let this get me down. But I see a lot of you letting me know that @YouTube made my video for SKINNY SKINNY unsearchable. I created something that is very real and personal to me for you to view. I am requesting YouTube please make my video searchable to the world!!"
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| I couldn't find the tweet to link, so maybe he deleted it. However, in 2022, I managed to find this screenshot that I took of it. lol |
This stayed with me because lately I've been holding back and kinda nervous and scared about sharing my work, and sometimes not very fond of my own writing. I find him incredibly courageous to be comfortable with his exposure to the world like this, thus pushing me to try to build up the courage to be more open about my own work again. Another issue that I tend to have with my writing is that I feel like it is never ready to be seen because there is always something that I need to fix about it. In one of my favorite interviews with 5 Seconds of Summer, Ashton is asked if he ever looks at a song that is already out and wishes that he could have done something different with it. Without a beat he responds with, "No, never. It's like you send a text, you know? It's done." Ugh. I envy that. I aspire to be more like that now. lol I need to grow out of my perfectionism once and for all.
He is just always so confident, outspoken, and never shy with everything he does and he doesn't seem to let others' comments affect him much. I love that.
My favorite thing about Ashton is that he has SUCH a way with words. He talks in paragraphs, so you never get a one word answer from him. He is a journalist's dream LOL. Whenever he speaks in an interview, the whole room grows silent as you take in his wisdom. Listening to how he talks about his scenes for the "Teeth" music video as he describes them as "beautiful," which I at first found odd but then it made me reconsider my perspective of the video, is what made me really start to like him.
In fact, let’s talk a bit more about Ashton in some of the behind the scenes footage for their music videos. In the “Old Me” behind the scenes video, we see him as the main one really bonding with his mini-me and teaching the kid how to play the drums. It’s cute and the first time I really saw this warm, friendly side to him as a new fan. The structure of the “Teeth” behind the scenes video, for which he is actually the thumbnail because why not he deserves it, is very interesting to me. Much like the music video itself, the guys are separated for their interviews. Luke, Calum, and Michael talk about what they do in the video, but then they each go off on a tangent and are cut off. This is treated as a gag throughout. Then Ashton is the final one to be interviewed and he closes out the video. Unlike the other guys, Ashton instead talks about what the video means for him, short and sweet and to the point. He finishes talking and then, as a joke, the camera zooms in on him and he smiles, but to me it’s like the viewer is waiting for him to say more, as opposed to the others getting cut off.
It was at this moment that I fondly said to myself, “I like this guy.”
He thinks so much outside the box that even his answers when 5SOS was on "Family Feud" and when they played "Family Feud" on the "Elvis Duran Show" are a testament to this.
Ashton Irwin is a 26-year-old Australian man that talks like an 80-year-old Greek philosopher. He's very unique and takes things seriously. You need to read the articles he has done for Superbloom as well as his tweets to his fans. "A wordsmith of sorts..." That's one of his catchphrases. lol :P
HE IS SO SMART! UGH! I LOVE IT! LOL! He makes me giddy. lol
It's going to be a little weird seeing 5 Seconds of Summer make new music after this because now Superbloom happened and we now know more of what Ashton is capable of. We're going to see him on the drums again with maybe minimal to no lyrics of his own again but in the back of our minds we'll remember him in the spotlight of his own show. I love that he has both. I love that he is the drummer of a band with his friends but yet he is also the frontman of his own album and band as well. If you think about it, not a lot of musical artists can say that they do both simultaneously.
And finally, the most important thing: people like me, New Jerseyans, are some of his favorite people here in the USA. Don't believe me? Watch this. Of course though, Texas got more screams because that's where he was at the time. ;P I just hope he still likes us that much! Of course I was shocked and fangirled when I first watched that video and I absolutely LOVE this about him, but then I asked myself: Why does he like us? Nobody likes us and we don't even like each other, so it doesn't make sense! LOL! Most celebrities would probably say California or New York because those are the only two states that seem to exist to them. Is it because of his friendships with Halsey, Charlie Puth, and the Jonas Brothers? Does he appreciate our Jersey attitude? Does we remind him of Aussies? What is it, Ashton???
(Speaking of journalism and New Jersey, the student run newspaper for Ramapo College of New Jersey, which was my second choice for college before I attended MSU, published an article about Ashton's solo career! :D)
And of course, he's hilarious. LOL
This intro was long enough lol. I keep thinking of additional things that I like about him that I should include in this blog post but of course it's already lengthier than it probably should be and we haven't even gotten to the album itself yet. I'll never actually finish it at this rate. lol
OKAY FINE. One more thing! Here is one of my favorite fan videos of Ashton talking to the audience during one of 5SOS's live shows. To paraphrase this AMAZING and well-written YouTube comment ;), it totally encompasses all of the facets to his personality that I love in one video. He jokes around and hypes up the crowd, he makes me cry when he expresses his love for music and performing and his goal to get his audience "out of their heads" through 5SOS entertainment, and then he starts passionately drumming. It's probably because he was in Texas. ;)
Without further to do, here is my review of Superbloom. I wanted to do a before and after reaction, so ahead of time before he even dropped the album I wrote what I thought the songs would sound like and be about based on titles alone and then after I listened I wrote my actual responses to them.
And as usual, get ready for some deep critical analysis too. Not too much though lol. These will just be blurbs. I don't want this to be a giant essay again because I want to take a break from that, but his mind deserves some analysis from me too. I've also realized that I have been associating each track with some aspect of my life, so I'll briefly talk about that as well.
(Let's be honest here. This is going to be a long essay. LOL :P)
I'm not a music critic nor am I that familiar with his musical influences, so I'll just discuss his tracks in my own way and see how this goes. LOL
1) "Scar"
I always wonder how artists determine the tracklists of their albums. Though this is his third released single, this song leads Superbloom as well as the album's trailer, so he clearly wants to kick things off with its message. It reminds of me 5SOS's "Better Man" simply because of the lyric "But I'll help you be a better man." This is followed by a double drum tap, which I LOVE. What is addressing him about being a better man remains to be seen. I'm wondering if this song is referring to physical or mental scars. In a literary sense, it will be a metaphor for both.
*Trigger Warning: suicide.*
This song is Ashton's favorite off the album. It's about holding onto the hope that life will get better and to not harm yourself, ie commit suicide, in the process.
Throughout the song he addresses four people: God, his mother, his sister, and his brother. Beautiful.
In the first verse he is reaching out to God and his mother for guidance:
Got me wishing God would show me the wayShow me Heaven maybe just for a dayAahhhhh, I’m feeling something that I don’t understandCan you help me be a better manMother motherCan you show me the wayCan you light a tunnel to light of dayI’m sick of dealing with the problems at handCan you help me be a better man
His wish for God to show him Heaven just for one day is chilling. He doesn't want to permanently die, but rather escape his current situation for a brief while, even if it's just temporary relief.
However, the second verse is when he reaches out to his siblings, this time offering the guidance that he once craved.
Sister Lauren don’t you fade awaySister Lauren love you all the wayAahhhhh, I’m feeling hopeful that you’ll show a manHow to love someone as true as you can
Brother brotherWe speak day to dayYou’re the blueprint for a future that’s pavedMy wishful thinking might not go as we plannedBut I’ll help you be a better man
We see a protective big brother come out a bit here with Ashton hoping that his little sister has a successful love life and his little brother has a bright future. (Curious though. Why does Lauren's name get to be in the song, but Harry's isn't? lol)
The entire song is very straightforward, the lyrics to the point. The best part of the song is the outro. It echoes, making it sound like a full choir is singing. "Scar" is a religious experience, kind of going full circle and bringing us back to the beginning when he first mentions God. Given that Ashton is labelled the spiritual member of 5SOS, it totally makes sense that he would open his debut album in this way.
Real talk for a sec. Sometimes I've seen negative tweets about Ashton based on something he has said or done and sometimes he kinda has a tendency to shoot his mouth off when he shouldn't. He may have good intentions and may not say anything inherently wrong (from my point of view, anyway, depending on the situation), but his words get taken the wrong way, causing him to look bad and a slandered view of him to spread. He's not perfect by any means, and that's part of why I like him. Plus I look up to his abilty to speak up and speak out. But I hate seeing someone that I consider one of the good people of the world viewed in a bad light, especially due to misunderstandings. But because he seems so levelheaded and not bothered by this, I try not to worry about it too much.
I'm not one to get defensive over celebrities and I don't get involved, but this breaks my heart because Ashton is my hero lately.
I'm generally a happy, bubbly person, but there are multiple times when I have low self-esteem and suicidal thoughts cross my mind. I know that I don't want to die and I'm not in danger of self-harm, but at the same time, it's like I don't want to be here and I want to somehow get away from everything. I often find myself wallowing in this weird limbo of negativity and doldrums, constant anxiety, wondering about what my purpose is, fearing what is to come, getting upset with myself for various reasons, etc., yet trying to maintain hope for the future. It's overwhelming, and sometimes suicide comes across as a "last resort option."
With "Scar," Ashton is one of the few artists that I have seen address this in a full song. When he was about to release it for the first time, he tweeted: "Please hold on. Please don’t quit, please don’t let go, please remember you’re loved. Please don’t commit suicide."
A part of why I am thinking about and considering suicide less is because Ashton told me not to do it.
I know this may sound dumb, but as opposed to family, friends, clergy, doctors, etc., telling you not to harm yourself because they have some kind of emotional and/or professional attachment and/or obligation to you, seeing a rich and famous stranger who doesn't know your situation say this somehow leaves a different impact. When a celebrity of his status openly expresses his own encounters with this, it humanizes him and makes his fans feel this sort of connection with him. We feel understood and that he actually cares. He believes that you should always try to help people. He didn't have to release "Scar" or tweet that message, but he did.
I know that I am loved. It's just poor self-talk and how I see myself and the rest of the world that I need to work on better. I usually try to be optimistic and have faith, and there are plenty of great moments in my life when I am very confident and have an optimistic outlook that outweigh the bad, but it's not always the case.
My father and I ride in the car together a lot, so he’s now getting to know 5SOS’s music because of that lol. I had my parents listen to “SCAR” not too long ago, and when it finished my dad said to me, “You know what? You should get that guy’s CD for the car. I like his stuff better.”
So there you have it. Ashton Irwin has the Steve S. badge of approval. LOL
And by the way, hopefully my CD will be here within two months from now! :P
UPDATE!: On January 21, 2021, my package finally arrived in the mail all the way from Australia! A month earlier than the expected due date! I was looking forward to this day! I am so thrilled to finally own this! My CD collection and I feel so complete now. This CD is extra special because they aren't available here in the U.S. It is so perfect, beautiful, shiny, and blemish, scratch, and crack free! And it plays wonderfully! Thank you, JB HI-FI! :D
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| My phone's wallpaper <3 lol |
Now I'm just waiting on 5SOS5. ;)
Upon playing the CD now in the car, my dad has repeated his words! :D
2) "Have U Found What Ur Looking For?"
Interestingly enough, I didn't like this one at first because the title is so long. I've found that I prefer short titles for things because they leave to the imagination. Like "Teeth," for example. What does "teeth" mean in that song? Well, you'd have to listen to the song to find out.
"Have U Found What Ur Looking For?" at first sounded like a song about him reaching out to an ex-girlfriend that left him and this is him asking her if she had found what she's looking for now that she is no longer bound to him. However, my feelings about this song changed when I heard the snippet in the trailer. His vocals are gorgeous and the line "A brand new voice has spoken...Have you found what you're looking for?" stood out to me, suggesting that it was an inner voice speaking to him and asking him the question. Of course, I hoped that my second interpretation was correct instead. I kept repetitively playing this one part in the trailer because it got me so hyped. I can tell that this one is the show stopper.
And I was right! My second interpretation was the song's true meaning! :D
I LOVE THIS SONG! This one is my favorite from the trailer, so I am happy that I love it as much as I do. I also love that he calls it the genesis of the album and the first one that he and Pauling recorded when they decided to just up and make a record.
Tied up, hazy, and emotionally unaware/Everest is the bathroom at the top of the goddamn stairs/I could harvest every dream that I’ve ever had/Headaches, beat me, down to a lifeless stare
This whole first verse is him describing his depressive state. He's in a trance with his emotions getting the best of him, to the point where he can't even move, let alone climb the stairs.
Heartbreak’s useful to a man that is on the fence/He’s not faithful to a god full of consequence/Golden lady, with a mind that could cut a stone/Who could love me, if I start giving you my soul
He's used to getting his heart broken, so therefore disappointment doesn't effect him and he likes this feeling. He likes being indifferent because if he doesn't care too much, he won't have this heartbreak. He's numb, which brings us back to the depressive state in the beginning.
I kind of understand this to an extent. I've noticed that sometimes I weirdly kinda like having depressed feelings because that keeps me from worrying. Meaning that, if I am indifferent about myself and my life, then I'm less likely to worry about my fate. It's easier to be indifferent than to care too much. It's a very warped way of thinking though and not really healthy at all.
I don't know what Ashton's religious affiliation is, so I'm not sure what "god" he is referring to in that verse. I think he is more of a worshipper of the universe and philosophy as opposed to a singular divine being, but he does mention God often enough to suggest that he also may have that kind of a religious background. "The god full of consequence" lyric could refer to two things. One is the Christian God, the other is false gods. With this lyric, Ashton could either be saying that he isn't faithful to Jesus Christ OR he isn't faithful (anymore) to false gods, such as alcohol. Both lead to consequences. The first one is facing God on Judgement Day, the other is dealing with the aftermath of alcoholism.
I could go even further with this with the "Who could love me if I start giving you my soul?" lyric. He feels that if he sells his soul, he isn't worth loving. However, maybe if the "you" in this lyric refers to God, he could mean that if he dedicated his soul to Christ, he would receive the vitriol from others.
Probably not what he was going for, but who knows?
I am working on my relationship with God myself, so it's interesting to see Ashton briefly touch on this in a couple of songs on his album.
I love the unique lyrics in this song, such as the "Golden lady" and "tiger's dinner" lines. I'm still trying to interpret those. I thought maybe "tiger's dinner" was another way of saying the Aussie slang "dog's breakfast," but I doubt it. lol
I can go on and on, but I told myself that I wouldn't overanalyze too much in this blog post! LOL! Maybe I should dedicate a blog post just to this song in the future because there seems to be a lot of symbolism here.
The best part of the song for me is the guitar riffs and when Ashton belts out "Won't someone show me who I am?" at the end. That lyric is more poignant than the title for me. While "Have you found what you're looking for?" means searching for your life's purpose, "Won't someone show me who I am?" is more about him desperately searching for his identity. The former is outwardly whereas the latter is inwardly, which can be way more difficult to decipher and discouraging if you cannot. It also mirrors the ending of Harry Styles's "Lights Up" when he asks "Do you know who you are?" which essentially asks the same question. I have been self-reflecting on these questions these last few years, so I consider these two my theme songs.
Now that I have the CD, I am able to read the lyrics in the booklet, and here is something that I have discovered. At the end of the song, Ashton shouts "Oh! Hey!" I just thought that this was just him randomly shouting sounds, but this ending is actually included in the lyrics, so therefore it was perhaps intentional. It is presented in quotation marks "OH HEY," as if he is addressing someone or something. Maybe he finally found what he is looking for after all. ;)
"Have U Found What Ur Looking For?" was the song that got me ecstatic to hear the rest of the album, particularly his delivery of the first "A brand new voice has spoken" in the trailer, like I mentioned before. There's something very sly about it, as if his inner voice is whispering to him a secret message. His voice in this part also reminds me of his past solos in 5SOS songs.
It's definitely my favorite of the entire record. :)
3) "Skinny Skinny"
I didn't get a chance to really form a prediction opinion about this one because it came out the night he announced it, so strangely on my end I didn't overthink it. But we knew that is was about body dysmorphia and body image going into it.
*Trigger Warning: body dysmorphia and eating disorders.*
Because this was his debut single off the album with his first solo music video to match, I have a bit more to talk about in this section.
When I first watched this, it was exactly how I expected an Ashton Irwin solo song to sound. Simple, acoustic, and indie. It reminds me of his livestream videos with him playing his guitar and performing covers and random ditties he makes up.
However, though I appreciate simplicity always, and for a song like this that's all you need, I initially felt that it's also too simple for Ashton Irwin's standards. A walking dictionary like him of course has a vast vocabulary, so I was a little bit disappointed by the lack of his colorful wording in this. I also expected a drummer's debut solo song to be a bit more lively than what "Skinny Skinny" is, so it's interesting that this is what he chose as the introduction to Superbloom as opposed to "Have U Found What Ur Looking For?" as he said was the inspiration for this album. He has explained that he wanted to release "Skinny Skinny" first to get the message out there. I believe that it was birthed from a conversation that he had with his younger brother Harry.
The best written lyric in "Skinny Skinny" is: "My fingers stretching into my larynx." That one struck me right away. I immediately thought of bulimia. Also, listen to the way he sings this lyric in the Superbloom live concert film. I'm in awe of how he delivers it because he sounds like he's suffocating. Not only does he sing the lyrics, he acts them out as well. It's always full blown performance with him. He doesn't half-ass anything.
While it's pretty obvious that Ashton himself and anyone else who suffers from body dysmorphia is the narrator for the verses in first person talking about how self-reflection could have an effect on someone, I'm interested in knowing who the narrator is during the refrain, for it is written in second person instead:
Hey skinny skinnyDon’t you think about the futureHey skinny skinnyToo badToo badHey skinny skinnyStop your thinking bout tomorrowYou’ll never make it like that(Too bad)
It could be the person talking to themselves, or another person talking to them. The narrator is addressing a "you," the person with body dysmorphia, as "Skinny Skinny." This is their character name now. It strips them of their humanity and just labels them based on their body type alone. It's not even just one "skinny;" the narrator is calling them "skinny" twice in a row. Now this can be taken one of two ways: either the narrator is offering compassion, or the narrator is mocking them.
The compassionate narrator is helping "Skinny Skinny" not to worry about the future, because "you'll never make it like that" if you do. The mocking narrator, on the other hand, is telling "Skinny Skinny" to not think about the future or worry about tomorrow because "you'll never make it like that," meaning that they are unworthy of having a future. You are too skinny or too fat ("skinny skinny" could refer to actual skinniness or perhaps used as insult on an overweight person), so therefore "you'll never make it like that" because your body type won't let you. This is punctuated with the sarcastic "Too bad," which could be translated to "Oh well."
But of course, the lyrics could mean something totally different depending on how you read them.
The music video is also nicely simple, looking like a gritty, grainy, older film from the eighties. He dances in front of distorted mirrors (routine choreographed by Jessica Richens), battling the Skinny Demon that is mentally haunting him. It's not a broad number, for he mainly just balances on a marked line on the floor as if he is a tight-rope walker. This is good symbolism of towing the line and wavering back and forth as you try to keep your body perfect and sometimes making harmful decisions to attain that ("I wanna eat, I wanna stay thin, I wanna dance but I gotta stay in").
(Incidentally, before I continue, I want to add really quickly that Jessica Richens competed on Season 11 of "So You Think You Can Dance." Season 11 was one of my favorite seasons of that show and was actually the final tour I saw live as well. Jessica's significant other, Ryan Fleming, is a photographer and videographer whom I have recently discovered has actually done some work with 5 Seconds of Summer and now Ashton for Superbloom. I remember the two of them being such a cute couple back then so it is great to see them again. It's such a small world! It's like my two worlds are colliding! lol :D
Okay, now back to my review.)
Here is the best part of the video. For the first time, he's looking directly at the camera. Look at the rage in his eyes. Look at the bearing of his teeth. He's carrying a hammer on his shoulder, ready to attack. You know that this is all an indication that something is about to go down in the following moments. Whether these are his acting skills or his true emotions coming through here, the message is received either way: He has had enough.
*Spoiler alert* The video concludes with Ashton smashing the mirrors with the hammer, defeating his insecurities (or is he smashing the images of himself that he loathes?). However, this combination of scenes with the accompanying acoustic music and him singing "Too bad..." repeatedly is a somewhat strange alignment to me. The song remains in one rhythm throughout and doesn't build up to a big finish. The outro of the song, and the whole song really, is calm compared to the visuals here. But then again, it does kinda work too because every time he says "Too bad" he strikes another mirror...
But anyway, all in all, I like that he made this song and that he is a man encapsulating this idea. A lot of times body dysmorphia is considered mainly a woman thing that we often forget or never acknowledge that men suffer from this too. He's just a normal guy with a normal man's body. Even though he's a man and I'm a woman, he's making me feel better about my own body a bit more too.
4) "Greyhound"
When Ashton first revealed the track list, this title was the first to stand out to me. Because, of course, it is a one-word ambiguous title. What does "greyhound" mean in this song? The ideas that come to my mind are the greyhound dog breed (he even has a greyhound tattoo) and the Greyhound bus company lol. Greyhounds are known to be fast sprinters, so this could be symbolic of Ashton wanting to run freely. The Greyhound bus suggestion could refer to the fact that he is always on a tour bus on the go for his job. It reminds me of Bon Jovi's "Wanted Dead Or Alive" lyric "I'm a cowboy, on a steel horse I ride," representing Bon Jovi's tour bus. I feel like "Greyhound" might have a similar vibe.
I'm hearing that this song is about 6 minutes long! In my experience, songs that are that lengthy tend to be some of the best, so I'm predicting this to be an epic ballad.
It’s pretty cool that the song I originally claimed turned out to be the best song of the album, huh? ;)
When Superbloom was released, I listened to the entirety of the rest of the album in one sitting. I started with "Greyhound" because the first three songs we already knew and I wanted to dive right into the new stuff.
I felt dead from this one, making me wonder how I was going to survive the rest of the album. LOL My goodness, is it good!
So I was right about the greyhound dog breed connection. However, Ashton Irwin being Ashton Irwin, he managed to make this song even more brilliant than the theory that I had.
Ashton uses greyhound racing as a metaphor for working yourself to the bone for corporate entities and maybe not necessarily knowing what your end goal ultimately is. He advises to always be cognizant of what you want your result to be. Just be aware of what you're chasing.
This lyric is interesting to me:
My mother always knew me bestYeah, she always tried to push me beyond the rest
This explains why Ashton is the way he is. His wisdom, well-spokenness, and work ethic is all thanks to his mother's influence. In fact, he describes his mother's own work ethic when talking about this song. He clearly gets his whole personality from her, outgoingness, confidence, and all.
"Greyhound" is a different concept that we've never seen before. We've never seen an artist compare dog racing to the work force. At least I haven't.
(In late August 2021, I also just realized something about this song now lol. The first verse could be entirely from the greyhound dog's point of view!)
This song reminds me of Harry Styles's “She” for the mere fact that it too is six minutes long and has an iconic guitar solo performed by the frontman’s best friend. Matthew Pauling is the Mitch Rowland of this one.
My favorite part of this song though is Ashton raspily screaming "ROUND and round!" towards the end. It caught me off guard. Ugh. It is so sexy and powerful. It sounds so 80s. lol
This is the show stopping number that is going to be a massive crowd pleaser if he ever decides to perform Superbloom for a live audience. That is going to be exciting to see.
5) "Matter of Time (Interlude)"
You know how Zayn has that "MiNd Of MiNdd (Intro)" and "INTERMISSION: fLoWer" on his Mind of Mine album? I feel like this one is going to sound like that. Short and sweet, perhaps intrumental with very few lyrics.
I was right. lol
I mean, Ashton provided more lyrics here for this to be longer than I expected to the point where it was not really an interlude to me but a full song on its own.
It's pretty, poetic, and peaceful, and I like that it is the reflective transitional piece about overcoming that takes us from the questioning part of the album into the more solution songs halfway through.
6) "Sunshine"
I think this one might be upbeat and romantic, chilling in the bask of love. However, it also might have a somber tone, with Ashton longing for a sunshine that he struggles to see, or finally seeing a sunshine after a figurative storm.
This is actually one of my favorite ones, but it had to grow on me to be so. I started to focus on it more because Ashton said how proud he was of it. Along with "Have U Found What Ur Looking For?" "Sunshine" describes my life pretty well. I think it describes everyone's current life pretty well now, honestly.
The lyric that resonates with me most is this one:
So what now? Stop watching the news You’re something they use to Scare you just like a bad dream
This is so true! This is exactly how the fearmongering news affects all of us. I also love the consistency of "So what now?" because that shows how hopeless people can feel and not know how to go from one point to another.
“Sunshine” is simply about always trying to look at the positives of life when negativity and poisonous news has got you down. It is calming and sounds like a lullaby. His voice also echoes at a distance during the verses like a radio sound, which kind of threw me off at first, but then I grew to like it. It is almost like he is trying to communicate into the void, which reflects some of the isolation themes of the song well.
Between this song, "Skinny Skinny," and "Matter Of Time (Interlude)," I like that he has a nice assortment of cool down songs along with his high energy ones.
7) "The Sweetness"
This one is interesting because it can go either way. It can be a love song, or he could be sarcastic of what he is describing as "sweet," such as like the expression "the sweetest sin."
*Trigger Warning: depression and antidepressants.*
Ashton does a good job of helping his listeners enter his psyche. When I first listened to this song, I felt on edge. My heart thudded fast and I was breathing heavy and shaking, and this lasted way after the song finished when I was listening to the rest of the album. I feel like that is what he wanted. "The Sweetness" is strangely terrifying (in a good way), complete with some garbled heavy metal sounding growls. After the mellow verses, the song suddenly becomes loud and cacophonous, so he’s musically representing the constant tug of war of his mental state.
When the sweetness seepsInto your bloodstreamWhen the sweetnessMakes you love your life againWhen the darkness creeps intoYour basementWhen the darknessTakes it all away again
You can go from calm and relaxed to having a panic attack in an instant, so I've also realized that this song is kind of a musical portrayal of that as well.
However, because he describes the song as about being not afraid to get some kind of treament for your mental health, the tone of the music doesn't seem to match. Ashton now saying that he finds this song "weird" and that it is neither positive or negative but rather open-ended now makes me feel like I am on the right track with how I comprehend it myself.
One of my favorite Ashton Irwin interviews is one that he conducts himself lol. In a video on their own YouTube channel, Ashton and Calum Hood have a really deep 8-minute discussion. During this chat, Ashton talks about actively choosing not to self-medicate for his depression and anxiety, opting to do yoga instead, because he felt that taking medication would cause him to not fully be himself. I found this pretty commendable and I remember seeing a YouTube comment describe him as a fighter because of this.
Through “The Sweetness,” we now know that he has changed his mind and now does take medication for his mental health.
Pill with a smileControlsYour brainThink for a whileAre youStill sane?
Then again, maybe this is his way of still expressing his aversion towards antidepressants, since he is questioning his sanity when taking them.
As someone who regards Ashton as an icon for handling his mental health without medication initially, it makes me wonder what happened between his conversation with Calum and now that prompted him to make this decision. What made him finally decide to take this step? Or has he taken this step? Has his view of antidepressants changed? I think this might be beneficial for those who look up to him to know, or at least find interesting (if he hasn't said it already).
8) "I'm To Blame"
If anything, THIS one will be the resident breakup song of the album. He's blaming himself for something. So either it's him blaming himself for the fall of a romantic relationship, or another type of relationship. Or, depending on how deeply he thinks, he could be blaming himself for something far more severe, like the current state of our world.
*Trigger Warning: drug use.*
I was WAY off with this one. lol
This one was my least favorite of the album. No particular reason. I just don't connect with it like I do the others. It's just too chaotic for me, but I also think that my uneasiness from listening to "The Sweetness" might have seeped into my listening session with this one. However, in the Instagram livestream listening party he hosted, Ashton actually said something about this song that has justified my dislike of it. lol
He said that it is about a mushroom trip.
Okay, some of my personal negative biases are going to come out here. I feel hesitant to tread in these waters, but I would like to take this opportunity to address something that has been bothering me and get it off my chest. I mean no ill will against anyone with my following words.
Ashton is a grown man and can do what he wants and it's not my business, but I don't really condone drug use much, especially as an aid for the creative process. His music is very raw and honest and his live performances are very passionate, immersive, and even theatrical. But now when I listen to it and watch him, I wonder if I am listening to his actual thoughts and watching his actual energy or if I am hearing and seeing how the drugs are influencing him to think, create, and act. Is he like this because of his natural personality, or is he like this because of the drugs? I want the former, because if it’s the latter, then it doesn’t feel as authentic, clever, or impressive to me. I want him to rely on his own instincts for stability, clarity, and musicality. This is a man who is celebrating his sobriety from alcohol, making strides in his mental health, and was always considered the health nut of the group (from my understanding, based on how John Feldmann and others have described him). At one point he was even trying to help Calum to quit smoking. But now he himself is seen smoking weed and talking about getting stoned and stuff like that all the time now as if he wants it to become a known signature trait of his. It comes across out of character for him and I'm disappointed.
I'm just saying this out of concern for his well-being because there is a special spark in him that I don't want fizzling out as a result of drug use. Plus he's a singer and I don't want him messing up his lungs. I thought that it was cool to see a rockstar celebrity like him avoid this kind of stuff stereotyped with his profession and find strength and enlightenment in other ways.
You may provide the rebuttal that drugs have been used in the music industry since forever. To that I respond with: So? The drugs then led to a lot of issues. Plus, Ashton is different to me. I feel like he is smart and talented enough to not find this necessary. It would be another story if I had known this about him like I do with other artists that I know have experimented or openly used drugs for years. It's just a part of who they are and though I still don't like it, I accept it. Ashton is just not an artist that I associate with this (same with Harry Styles). And I know that he isn't associated with this among his fanbase either because the tweets that express suprise upon seeing him smoke a joint proves it to me.
(Added 12/14/21) I just thought of something recently. Is it possible that Ashton has been smoking this whole time and fans just didn't know about it because he kept it a secret? Maybe management made him hide this fact about himself and now that they have new management he now feels more free to openly do it? But that doesn't make sense in terms of how I see this band and how open they are about things. And plus, why would Calum have that freedom prior but Ashton not have that freedom? It's not like they each serve a role in the band like how a boy band is structured. It's not like Calum was always the "resident bad boy," in other words. (End addition.)
I see people enjoy this fact about him, but I am legit annoyed by it, no matter how "hot" or artsy it may come across lol. Ashton is a brilliant man who has so much going for him and now him getting high is a running thing. Like if he were to do something out of the ordinary, it's no longer him just being normal oddball Ashton. The response now is, "He is so high! LMAO!"
It degrades him. If you were to ask me for one thing that I don't like about him, it's this.
But then again, maybe psychedelics and weed are indeed beneficial for mental health (and physical health) and realizing more potentials and higher consciousness, so perhaps it's something that we need to learn more about. I'm trying to be more open-minded about them recreationally too. If people can consume alcohol in moderation, then why not drugs? (For the record, I'm not that really into people drinking and getting drunk either. I'm not totally against drinking and stuff, but when outside sources like that can dictate how you act and then people laugh and giggle about foolishness like it's cute, it angers me.)
I'm a very straight edge person and a little ignorant when it comes to drugs, so I apologize if my views here are a little close-minded or even judgemental. Maybe the drugs are why Ashton is all zen and happier and healthier now. Maybe they are helping him. Marijuana just got legalized here in New Jersey, so maybe it's something that I should look into. :P
But what does this mean then? You can only be at your healthiest and happiest when you're high or have these types of drugs at your disposal? We've always been told that you should say no to drugs, but now all of a sudden it's okay? I feel like I'm being offensive talking against drug use, but why? It never used to be that way.
This and the antidepressant thing I was talking about before is a good discussion piece that I should maybe explore further in the future.
I went off on a rant there, so back to the song lol. It’s upbeat and creatively written, and I appreciate that he says that it is a positive song about reaching some kind of epiphany and relaying this epiphany to others, instead of the negative theme that I initially thought, so I don't mind listening to it and don't necessarily consider it a skip…but he couldn’t come up with this epiphany on his own? He needed 'shrooms to do it?
But okay. That’s all I’ll say about it now.
I will say this. This is the most fun song on the album, and he and his band clearly look the most joyful when performing this one. For this reason and the positivity from it as a whole, I'm letting it grow on me more. I also tend to connect it to "Red Desert," one of my favorite songs from CALM. They both are very celebratory of the freedom of where our minds lead to creativity.
9) "Drive"
I'm thinking that this is going to be a fast one. Most albums lately seem to tell a story. Since this one is toward the end, it seems to be "driving" towards some kind of conclusion. This is Ashton at his most determined, singing about the "drive" he has to succeed. I'm almost thinking it might be as fast as "Meet You There" with him going batshit crazy on the drums.
Another thing is that I've seen comments saying that if Ashton was the 5SOS frontman, then 5SOS would be way more punk rock, judging by how he performs "Pizza" live. So maybe "Drive" might have this style or something similar to it? I think that is pretty farfetched though. lol
*Trigger Warning: grief.*
I’m so glad that I was wrong about this one. The meaning behind this song is so much better than what I thought it was going to be.
"Drive" is the closest thing to a love song on Superbloom, but yet it isn’t one. From the way it is written and how Ashton explains it, it could very well be from the perspective of a friendship as well and the context remains the same. It isn’t much about the relationship Ashton has with a woman, but rather an experience that he and his lady shared. He wrote this song for his girlfriend Kaitlin “KayKay” Blaisdell, who has provided a lot of the photography for Superbloom’s promotion.
KayKay was mourning a loss, so Ashton wrote this as a message to her that he will be supportive of her during this time. The song talks about just taking a short drive to alleviate some of the pain. The rhythm of it makes me picture KayKay’s hair blowing in the wind as Ashton drives. It also in some ways reminds of Harry Styles's "Golden," which is Ashton's favorite song from Fine Line. Harry described that song as a "drive in Malibu" type of feel. Plus, listen to the bridges in both songs. You can easily sing the bridge in "Drive" during the instrumental bridge in "Golden." They match up well.
"Drive" is the one song on this record that has made me cry. Not only are the music and lyrics sweet, the story behind it pulls at my heartstrings, so therefore sometimes I can't listen to it unless I am prepared for an emotional reaction. The part that really gets to me is when he goes, "I'm here for you when your world is falling down" and he starts belting "Down!" over and over again.
I sympathize with KayKay for what she went through and I love Ashton for being such a loving boyfriend to her. They make such a good couple. I love them together. This song makes me want a boyfriend too now. Darn you, Ashton! :P
Get yourself a man that talks about you the way Ashton talks about KayKay. I swear, if by some miracle I get a man in my life and he doesn't express himself like this about me, I'm dumping him. LOL XD
Unlike the other songs on Superbloom, this song is not as profound, but it's not supposed to be. It serves its purpose. It’s so beautiful and wholesome, and it sounds like it belongs in an indie film.
Because this song is about a certain person and situation, it's more listening to another person's story, whereas the other songs on Superbloom are about more general feelings of self mental health that anyone can relate to. However, I then realized that this song could be applied to my life as well. It made me remember when my friends and family were there for me during hard times and vice versa. Plus, grief is also a very mental thing, so it does fit on the album well.
Earlier this month this song took on a more personal meaning for me. My family and I's beloved miniature dachshund Little Lady passed away just a couple of weeks ahead of her 20th birthday. She lived a full, happy, healthy life, but of course it still left us heartbroken. This song kept playing in my mind when it happened and my friends and family were there for me, much like the song details, although in other ways because this pandemic has outlawed socializing. Not only is it a friendship song, it is also a great song for the grieving process itself because it is soothing and his voice is gentle.
(I'm aware that the loss of a pet isn't the same as the loss of a human, but you get my point.)
I think anyone can understand how the simple act of taking a drive somewhere, anywhere, could do the trick sometimes, no matter what the circumstances. I know I've been enjoying drives with my father during this whole pandemic.
10 "Perfect Lie"
Let's look at how previous albums Ashton has contributed to end. Sounds Good Feels Good concludes with "Outer Space/Carry On," Youngblood with "Ghost Of You," and CALM with "High." What all of these songs have in common is a general sadness of loss, but yet a hopefulness that things will get better. The narrator is sad, but he is accepting this sadness and moving on. But with "Perfect Lie," what is the light at the end of the tunnel? What is the conclusion? Is there any? Is he lying to himself that he is okay and this creates the illusion of contentment he needs to get by? Judging by how the previous albums ended, as well as other albums I have listened to, this one is going to be a slow, emotional one. But then again Ashton might go against this trend with his own album.
This is another favorite of mine. And it's not a slow song, except for maybe the final chords. lol
I love the creepy factor of “Perfect Lie.” There are random jolts that really add to the song, particularly the sharp drums in the second stanza. My absolute favorite part of the song since my first listen is at 2:25.
"Perfect Lie" is about honoring your past work, but yet not feeling as attached to it anymore. He explained that he outgrew some of the older 5SOS songs, but yet since people like his mother and fans favor them, he and the other guys still have to play and acknowledge them. This song is about his frustrations with that. It's understandable.
This song resonates with me on a personal level because I see this with my own writing. I don’t feel as strong of a connection to the plays and ideas I wrote when I was a teenager as opposed to my current projects. Another association is that throughout my 20s, exactly 2010 through 2019, I worked as a freelance journalist. This was my main writing career path after earning my English degree in 2013 and I'm grateful for the articles that I have written and the professional work that I was able to obtain in my field after college. However, towards the end I’d been feeling like that is not really me anymore and rather something that I felt like I was supposed to do, but yet I feel like I might return to it again or embark on journalism in a different way, because there are some parts of it that I actually do like... It’s a confusing time for me in my field and I find that “Perfect Lie” perfectly reflects this aspect of my life.
This opening lyric describes my life in a nutshell pretty well:
Neck aches and my back might breakI’m scared of the futureLike everybody else
I somewhat see now why he placed this track at the end. Not only is it his way to kind of break away from his younger self through Superbloom, “Perfect Lie” actually does somewhat end somberly with the guitar outro.
Conclusion:
With Superbloom, Ashton Irwin managed to create a record that totally encompasses not only his life, but the lives of everyone else. For me personally, it feels like he somehow telekinetically visited my mind, saw what was in there, and poured out my heart without even knowing me. How did he do that?
Something that bothers me about former child stars (Ashton got involved with 5SOS at age 17 I believe, hence why I bring this up), whether they are singers or actors, is that when they become adults, they lay on the sexy extremely heavily to prove that they are now grown up. There’s nothing wrong with sexy, but that always seems to be the go to essence as if there isn’t any other way to represent the crossing over the bridge to adulthood because sex sells. Superbloom, however, is a full album without one mention of sex, romantic love, heartbreak, and anything else that is more common in music. I am confident to say that I am yet to see any other artist successfully do this. There are so many love songs but rarely songs about any other topic, though songs about confidence and mental health seem to have become more prevalent these days. Every other album I own is about love and/or lost love. Superbloom is entirely about mental health. As someone who lacks in the love and sex department so therefore can't quite relate to those themes, this is the album that I've been looking for. He details his mental struggles and self-discovery throughout, which is extremely brave of him to do and something that I am clearly going through myself. He's proving that maturity and adulthood comes through many factors, not just sex.
Granted, plenty of 5 Seconds of Summer songs are sexual, even from their earlier years. But when it came to his own project, Ashton opted to take a different approach that is refreshingly new. "Best Friend" isn't even a love song but rather a friendship song, so anything that is solely his at this point isn't sexual at all.
It's also so awesome to read the writing credits for Superbloom. While other songs have like 5+ writers, the ONLY writers listed for EVERY song on Superbloom are Ashton Irwin and Matthew Pauling. In fact, there are very little credits in general. I LOVE THAT.
This is my favorite photo KayKay took of Ashton to promote Superbloom:
This is a very artsy photograph, so let's dissect it. He refers to this as his “place of artist persona diversity.” He was curious to understand how artists he admires discover their identities, leading him to inspect his own. These three versions of him are facets of his personality from where his music originates. From left to right, the first one is “the Icon ego.” He is the intimidating rockstar we see on stage or in photoshoots, the trait most people see of him, hence why this persona is the one closest to the camera. Notice also how he’s wearing the same outfit he wore in Superbloom: A Live Concert Film. The second one is “the playful childlike spirit.” This is the guy we see in interviews and in videos of him just joking around with the other guys. This is also his soft, gentle side that is often hidden behind his tough exterior. This persona and “the Icon ego” are two totally different people. As soon as Ashton’s foot steps onto the stage he completely transforms from one to the other. It’s amazing how he’s able to do that. The final persona, “the dark and heavy,” is of course the one we know the least, thus represented by how he’s furthest from the camera and sort of hidden. This is the guy we’re learning more about through Superbloom and whatever Ashton reveals otherwise. This is his depression, anxiety, demons, and so forth.
Notice too how his song titles are written on the mirror? He does this on his windows too. It's how he gets creative. Like, what? That's so cool. lol :D
My guy even has his own website now! :D On there he has his own merchandise store and everything. I'm even on his mailing list. Getting an email from him makes my day LOL. During a pandemic, he also somehow managed to assemble his own band, The Ai Supergroup, complete with violinists and backup singers, which is not as common with today's artists but more so reminiscent of past bands. (I think he has said once that he would like to see additional musicians onstage with 5SOS too at some point.) I even like that he refers to himself as "Ai." That's a cool way of branding himself apart from 5SOS. Superbloom was even released independently under his own label, the Ashton Irwin Music Group (and also Ingrooves).
He is just so impressive.
Superbloom's release date, October 23, marked the beginning of Scorpio season. Then a couple of weeks later was my 30th birthday. I'm considering my 30s as a fresh start in my adulthood. I had a lovely birthday with equally lovely birthday wishes from plenty of my friends. But at the same time, I'm also not necessarily altogether pleased about it either because not only am I getting older, I am entering a new decade full of personal confusion of trying to figure out my own identity. Turning 30 in the midst of COVID-19, the U.S. Presidential Election of 2020, all of the other anxiety that I have about life and everything going on in the world, and now my dog dying (I am thankful that I got to spend my 30th birthday with her though. She even sat on my lap a bit while I watched Superbloom: A Live Concert Film that night.), I'm not really the happiest camper these days. There doesn't seem to be much point to life right now. The future is bleak and hopeless, leaving me in a ongoing depressed state.
Not too long ago I tried to remember the last time that I was truly happy, and I couldn't think of one. But then the first highlight that came to mind was when I found out that Ashton was releasing Superbloom (and now that I actually have the CD! :D).
Ashton releasing Superbloom has been one of the few things bringing me joy and keeping me going and excited about life. He gave me something to look forward to and now appreciate, even more so than the holidays and my own birthday. When Superbloom's one month anniversary hit on November 23, I realized that I had spent the entire Scorpio season of 2020 listening to and celebrating this album. :) Time well spent, I say. ;)
Because he released it the first day of my Zodiac sign only a couple weeks ahead of my birthday and wrote songs about situations and feelings that I am currently enduring right now, I feel less alone and am considering this album his birthday present to me. Every track is like he's saying "I know what you're going through and I understand. I'll help you through this." I mean, he clearly wrote Superbloom for me. (I'm kidding! :P)
The really fascinating thing is, if it wasn't for the pandemic, we would not have gotten Superbloom, at least maybe not at this time. This album was born from Ashton being in quarantine and not able to go on tour with 5SOS.
I feel like it's corny of me to write a blog post like this praising a rich male celebrity who doesn't know of my existence, especially at my age now :P, but I legitimately feel like Ashton is therapeutic for me, for he is all about having a sanative effect. I find myself internalizing his advice. I'm still having mental health issues that I'm trying to work on, but I just feel like his presence in the music industry is helping me function a bit more and giving me the encouragement that I need. He has been in the limelight since like 2011, but there's a reason why I just became a fan of his THIS year. It's no coincidence.
This tweet of his has stayed with me:
I am constantly at war with my mental state, but I always remember that, to be powerful, you can’t give people power over you.Be brave and bold when saying what you are, and what you stand for.
He just GETS it.
I believe that I'm somewhat in a better place right now with the new year coming up and getting enthused about some personal creative writing projects of mine (some of which Ashton and Superbloom partially inspired) and other resolutions. Just trying to look on the brighter sides.
Ashton, thank you so much for my "birthday gift." Thank you for entrusting your fans with your meaningful art, sharing your soul with us, cheering us up when we need it most, and for saving 2020. It's an honor. <3 Congratulations on your first solo record! It's a beauty! :D
Happy Holidays, everyone! And to a much better new year!
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