In a world of polarizing opinions over which lyric interpretation is correct or which artist’s album reigns supreme, only one feeling unites all music appreciators: an unwavering disdain for expensive concert tickets. Anyone unable to breathe the same air as their favorite performers yearn for a way to experience their concert. With their new album The Feeling of Falling Upwards (Live from The Royal Albert Hall), 5 Seconds of Summer has provided a solution.

An audio recording of their London show in the world-famous Royal Albert Hall, this release welcomes listeners into a raw listen of the band’s studio-recorded smash hits. 

5SOS’s singing and upbeat guitar riffs do not immediately begin once listeners press play. Instead, calming violins in “Overture” float into fans’ ears. Classical music later melds into the smooth vocals and infectious lyrics of “Complete Mess.” In “Carousel,” simple metaphors like, “My life’s just a carousel spinnin’ around / I’d pay again just to keep from stoppin’ it now” may sound underwhelming on a studio recording, but the crowd screaming those words highlights the song’s universal themes of how much blunt lyrics can resonate with people.

5SOS hit “She Looks So Perfect” remains recognizable due to its plays from countless mall speakers and radio stations nearly a decade ago. This track’s inclusion on the live album seems no surprise based on its ubiquity, but the instrumentals at Albert Hall contrast from how most remember the tune. This new release highlights a soft side of the lyrics as they swap electric guitars for a stripped-down, acoustic love song. Confessions like “Your lipstick stain is a work of art / I got your name tattooed in an arrow heart” adopt a more personal spin as the members’ voices soften for this timeless rendition.

Once again adding a violin into the mix, “Red Desert” contains few words, emphasizing the suspenseful, rock-opera ambiance of its steady guitar tunes and electronic tempo. The number of fans of both 5SOS and “Phantom of the Opera” sounds like a negligible amount, but if they exist, this song vyes for their attention. 

Following “Ghost of You,” vocalist and rhythm guitarist Luke Hemmings takes the microphone to add a few parting words before their final song of the night, “Bad Omens.” After informing the cheering masses that they look “stunning,” he performs his due diligence of acknowledging those who orchestrated the night. Hemmings rightfully referred to the performance’s gospel choir as “absolute bloody legends.” This soft-singing brigade shines in backing vocals, with one of the most touching examples remaining the “oohs” and “aahs” during the bridge of “Jet Black Heart.”

Although listeners cannot achieve the full concert experience from this live album, its integration of musical elements not included in their studio albums allows fans to feel as if they witnessed the band’s sweet symphony and gospel goddesses in real time.

4 Australian angel voices out of 5