Welcome "Complete Mess," the First Single of 5SOS5!

I really appreciate that 5 Seconds Of Summer always manages to write songs about me and named after me. That's nice of them. First “Empty Wallets,” now “Complete Mess.”

I was wondering if I should cover this song now, or later when I do a track by track review of 5SOS5’s entirety.

Ehh…I’ll do it now. It’s hot on my mind and it saves me from more work later. Lol

So on March 2, 5 Seconds Of Summer finally dropped their first single and music video of 5SOS5, “Complete Mess," thus kicking off the 5SOS5 Era in full swing. This was my first time as a fan experiencing the release of the first single and music video of a 5SOS album and watching them promote it in real time. 

(Wow. A lot of “firsts” there.)

Okay, so as usual, my initial thoughts, and then I’ll review the full thing further.

According to others (journalists) who had the opportunity to listen to “Complete Mess” before the rest of us peasants, "Complete Mess" is a cross between “Beside You” and “Jet Black Heart.” Based on the clips 5SOS provided up until the release, I got this impression as well. Here is a list of other comparisons that I agree with and have thought of myself. 

The double meaning of the title and refrain is very clever. It combines the positive and negative pretty well. "You complete me. You make me complete. But guess what, you also make me a complete mess."

Ashton said something about this that made me cackle. When he and Luke were on the "Smallzy's Surgery" podcast, he explained how Luke introduced the idea behind the song to the rest of them and how he (Ashton) connected more with the "complete mess" side of it rather than the "you make me complete" side. He says, "What 5SOS song is saying 'You make me complete' full stop? It’s gotta have a touch of misery in there, you know?" That is so them and I love that they acknowledge it because it justifies how I feel about them. LOL Here is that full interview if you're interested. 

However, because I’m into more upbeat, angsty songs, I wasn’t necessarily screaming, crying, or throwing up over anticipation of this one. I still was excited about this of course, but it’s no “Have U Found What Ur Looking For?”

They went this route of a more low-key leading single for this round, considering the leading singles that they've had in the past, like "She Looks So Perfect," "She's Kinda Hot," "Want You Back," and "Easier." These are funkier to me, I guess, so "Complete Mess" is different, and dare I say, a bit more serious and solemn. 

But I trust my boys! Plus, 5 Seconds Of Summer OWNS the desert aesthetic with much of their content, so I like that the desert is an ongoing setting for them.

All right! So now for my deeper analysis of “Complete Mess.”

Based on interviews that they have been doing, this is the first song that they have written solely by themselves, so not even Matthew Pauling is involved here. Now I trust Pauling writing with them, of course. He is one of the masterminds behind "Red Desert," "Lonely Heart," Superbloom (2020), etc. But them being the ONLY writers for “Complete Mess” makes it that much more magical. I like how you can also tell which member wrote which lyric too. Like I can bet you that “This evanescence always fleeting like a flame” was almost definitely written by Ashton. Who else of the four would incorporate the word “evanescence” in a lyric? Lol Luke, maybe? But it’s my understanding that Ashton wrote the verses though, so I’m probably right. Lol

I get Luke from these opening lines instead anyway:

Caught up in Heaven, but your Heaven ain't the same

And I’ve never been a saint, have I?

These lyrics are similar to "High" and other self-pitying 5SOS songs and like certain ones on When Facing The Things We Turn Away From (2021). I notice that Luke's lyrics have a tendency to talk about how he and the other being he's addressing are never on the same page or seeing eye to eye and it's usually his fault. He's always portraying himself as the flawed one in every scenario. (Except for in "Teeth." lol)

An interesting thing about 5SOS’s creations is that you can interpret their work with any meaning you want. Yes, "Complete Mess" could very well be about romantic love that has both good and bad moments, but the lyrics could also refer to wavering self-love, love among them as friends and bandmates, or maybe even their relationship with their fans, and still relay the same message. The music video also captures this. At one point they either fight each other, representing occasional struggle among the four, OR physically help each other through the desert when they appear agitated, depending on how you look at it. 

Here's some more context. I thought that the scene of Ashton running in the desert was him just randomly running and then getting into an altercation with Calum, but I didn't think much of it during my initial viewing. But then when I rewatched it, per some observations from others on Twitter, I noticed that he was more so running in place, almost like he is stuck in a trance or can't proceed forward from whatever is ailing him, and then Calum wrestles him to the ground to break him out of his stupor and calm him down.

A lot of the song is about self-reflection and they interact with their reflections to enhance this. This part could mirror (haha) one of the bumpers from "The 5 Seconds Of Summer Show" where they're waving at themselves from a distance (another connection made by the incredible Twitter FBI Team). Following the themes of “2011,” there is also the nostalgic element, which further emphasizes the conclusion that 5SOS5 as a whole is about nostalgia, especially their journey as a band.

Like “2011,” "Complete Mess" was also produced by Michael Clifford. Anytime I hear about Michael producing something, I think back to an interview Ashton Irwin and Calum Hood did with "Ash London LIVE" when Ashton started talking about how they all need to feel fulfilled within their roles in the band and if Michael approached him about wanting to do carpentry, he would have him do just that. So this makes me think that Michael had expressed interest in producing music to them, and so now he is taking on that role. In my opinion, Michael has now found his true calling. I’m sure that Michael enjoys making music and all that comes with it, but I have always been feeling that music isn’t his true artistic passion like it is for Ashton and Luke and that he was still searching for his individual niche. He’s a gamer, he’s familiar with technology, so therefore thriving as a producer makes sense for him to me. Ashton elaborates more about this here, again on "Smallzy's Surgery."

Something that they are doing with their latest songs is giving each member a solo again, much like how it used to be in their earlier years, again bringing us back to the possible nostalgia theme for the album. Michael is singing more again (and his singing seems to have improved too, by the way), which was lacking in CALM (2020) and much of Youngblood (2018). Usually it's mainly Luke with Calum delivering a second verse or his own song. However, we haven't been getting any of this from my boy Ashton...yet. He has a lovely small background vocal at the end of "Complete Mess," but I'm really hoping for more substantial ones throughout the rest of 5SOS5. 

Now here’s something very strange that I noticed about “Complete Mess,” particularly the music video. Well, first of all, Ashton has stated that 5SOS5 has more of a “pop landscape.” …Okay.

So “Complete Mess” does have a pop sound to it, but in addition to that, not only does the song and video radiate One Direction (Before I watched "Complete Mess," it beared a striking resemblance to 1D's "Steal My Girl" music video to me and I was minutely concerned. lol) and Backstreet Boys with how they’re all sullenly strolling around in the middle of nowhere, I realized that they don’t have any of their instruments…at all...ever in the video. I then recalled the “Valentine” music video and maybe some others of them not playing their instruments, so maybe this isn’t the first time or a big deal, but then again, there are various moments in the “Valentine” video where they are at least holding their instruments. In “Complete Mess,” they are nowhere to be seen and you wouldn't know that they play instruments if this was your first exposure to them. 

I’m just gonna come out with it and hope nobody gets mad at me. Ahem. “Complete Mess” makes 5 Seconds Of Summer look like a boyband.

…

EWWWWWW!!!! Are you kidding my ass??? WHYYYYYY????

Look, obviously from what I've written in the past, I don't dislike boy bands... But, but, but, they’re not a boyband! Right?? According to the parody "Roast Interview," they aren't! So…what is this?? I’m so confused! It’s a gorgeous music video, don’t get me wrong. It was directed by a WOMAN ;) named Lauren Dunn, which took me by surprise because I originally thought that the video’s design had Andy DeLuca written all over it. I also feel like Luke had a handful of input because it reminds me a lot of the videos and visualizers from his solo work. But for a band always denouncing boyband labels, “Complete Mess” is very boy band-esque. I’m just saying. Lol

As a result, I'm not sure how much of it sounds like a 5 Seconds Of Summer song. Yes, it is reminiscent of some of their past work, but as I said before, it doesn't seem to follow the reigns of "Want You Back" and "Easier," which I figured was their official sound now. But at the same time, they have mentioned their desire to always expand and grow, particularly with this album, which is coming across the most THEIRS and their voice. Plus they have undergone changes regarding management and labels, so this may have something to do with it too. 

I have wondered if 5SOS5 will sound like Youngblood and CALM or if it will introduce a totally new sound for them. Right now it appears that they are gearing towards more lighter tones and aesthetics in general, a far cry from the darker ones of the past. 

I'm noticing that with them for every two albums there is a shift. 5 Seconds Of Summer (2014) and Sounds Good Feels Good (2015) were pretty much the same with their pop punk style and then there was a drastic evolution jump between SGFG and Youngblood with business handlings going on behind the scenes, like their brief hiatus, and from what I heard, management and label drama. Unlike the first two albums, Youngblood and CALM were a different genre and a more mature sound. But like the first two, they were similar sonically as a duo. It looks like the COVID-19 quarantine has served as this next level's hiatus, so now they're experiencing this shift once again.

However, it is also very much so a 5 Seconds Of Summer video as well due to the color symbolism that they included. In this essay, one of my favorite observations that I wrote about is how each member is color coded in most of their music videos. With “Complete Mess,” they did not disappoint and I love that they provided more material to support my theory. (I’ll write this blog post as well. Soon! ;) )

Speaking of color symbolism, I really like the ending of the “Complete Mess” video. The guys walk towards a pale blue dot, which is the icon that they have been using to promote “Complete Mess,” leading their fans to form theories about what it could possibly mean. In the final seconds of the video, the blue light illuminates and consumes them, and then the end credits are pitch black. Though this could just be a clear end of the video with them becoming one with the light or disintegrating or whatever, I also feel like this could lead to another music video as a continuation. So we’ll see if I’m right in the future. Ashton posted an Instagram story of them being beamed up into an animated spaceship in this scene, so perhaps he is foreshadowing that their next single and music video will have them as aliens in space, which would explain the constant alien imagery that they have been giving us lately. I think that one could be 5SOS5’s "Teeth," which is what I'm waiting on. And it's going to be an Ashton solo song, right?? Or maybe we'll get something like "Larger Than Life" next. :P

And here's another burning question on everyone's minds: Is Luke married yet??? What about that TikTok he made insinuating that Sierra is supposedly his wife now??? I don't think enough interviewers have asked him about that yet! :P

All kidding aside, "Complete Mess" is a beautiful song and music video with plenty of nice hidden meanings, symbolism, and undertones, which I'll probably discover more of the more I watch it. Am I salivating over it like everyone else is? Not necessarily, but I appreciate their honesty with it like they do with everything else. It's a good song and though I am not as hyped about it as I have been with others, it still has me looking forward to hearing what the rest of 5SOS5 has in store. 🙂