Author: sirjorge

Jorge Orduna is the writer of this blog. It is a review blog.

5 Seconds of Summer “5 Seconds of Summer” (2014) Review

5 Seconds of Summer Self Titled LP

I’m late to many bands, and one of the bands that I just didn’t jump into was that of 5 Seconds of Summer. I didn’t know much about them, and to be fair, didn’t think I was missing a whole lot. Then comes this blog, and I start to write, and we are here looking at the 2004 “5 Seconds of Summer” record, and it comes at you with a very polished approach overall. The opening track alone has been polished to a shine, and catchy as all hell in a way that pop punk wishes it could be all the time. With the opening anthem, the band puts you on notice that they are sweethearts, not your average punkers.

This is where the rubber hits the road, though. You’re either going to love the sweet sounds that “5 Seconds of Summer” comes through with, or you’re going to balk at the simplicity and harmony. The guys are often likened to Blink-182, and rightfully so, their guitar work at times and melodies are much like the So Cal Punk act, but with a little more polish, to a fault.

I have a hard time getting my head around all of the offerings that “5 Seconds of Summer” has to offer. It is 16 pop punk tracks that lean heavily into pop, to the point where you will think that this is a boy band. I don’t hate the record, but I also don’t remember much of it hitting me hard. It kind of washes over you like a bar of soap. Yeah, it’s effective, yeah, it’s catchy as hell, but it’s going to divide you. Turn your brain off if you’re going to put on this 2014 record. It’s an evolutionary record that will either grow on you or cause you to shake your head in disbelief. Either way, 5 Seconds of Summer was on to something with this record.

Not into streaming? Get the vinyl by clicking here.

I Used To Skateboard

The dream of the 1990s may be alive in Portland, but a sense of nostalgia lives on in the hearts of many people of a certain age. I grew up in the era of baggy jeans, gangster rap, and pop punk takeovers. Someone called me an “elder emo” at one point, and I wasn’t offended.

Skateboarding was a way of life for me in a small bubble. I lived alongside the western coast of California. I was drawn by the extreme world of going fast, flying through the air, and technical showmanship that comes with skateboarding tricks. It wasn’t just a matter of riding, diving, and showing off; there was a counterculture to it all. There was a slightly rebellious ethos, albeit within the confines of “sports”, as some parents would note.

“I used to skateboard”, was something I never thought I would utter. I remember running into people saying that, and I would laugh. I would scoff at getting old enough to call it quits. I had moments of doubt and eventually stopped.

What happened?

I blew out my knee in high school and limped around a lot. I was playing hacky sack, and a student slipped and ran into my knee, dislocating it. I recall not skateboarding for a few months. Then life happened, and I wasn’t spending all of my time trying to learn how to kickflip, and well, I just gave up on it all.

It was too hard to skateboard.

I wanted to live the lifestyle and be part of the cool kids.

Skate or die! That was our cry.

There are other ways to support the skateboarding world. I collect boards now. I put them on the wall, and I admire them from afar. But as far as getting on a board, that’s a thing of the past.