Written by: Ellie Gressman
After a long hiatus, 5 Seconds of Summer are back and better than ever. Youngblood, released in June 2018, became their most popular album reaching mainstream popularity and radio plays. They haven’t rested, though. After touring the world on the Meet You There Tour, plans of a new album are already in the works. Teeth, released on August 21st, definitely lives up to the expectation that Youngblood created and set for years to come.
The song starts off with just a simple bass line, which sets the moody tone of the song. Luke comes in with his vocals and his voice sounds as good as usual, maybe even better. Their new music definitely shows Luke’s vocal progression and incline from their earlier works. The drums and beat come in as we’re greeted by possibly one of the most amazing pre-choruses I’ve ever heard. The combination of Luke’s powerful high notes with the anticipation set by the background makes a killer melody and powerful lines. The chorus keeps the anticipation alive, leading to the breakdown of the song later. The bass line from the beginning of the track is heard in the chorus played by a mix of electronic sounds. After the second verse and chorus the bridge comes with even more powerful vocals from Luke and a beautifully calm background. This makes the vocals and the words more chilling, as he sings about blood on his shirt and a rose in his hands. The track ends with the breakdown, and all the instruments return to their quiet and calm state.
From my interpretation, Teeth is about an abusive and one sided relationship, where the girl is crazy and violent. What makes Teeth exceptionally beautiful compared to their other tracks are the lyrics and the tone set throughout the song. One of the lines reads, “Some days, you're the best thing in my life/Sometimes when I look at you, I see my wife/Then you turn into somebody I don't know/And you push me away, push me away, yeah”. This line alludes to a love turned sour, the boy loves the girl but knows that she is bad for him. Another line that alludes to this reads, “Fight so dirty, but your love so sweet/Talk so pretty, but your heart got teeth.” The woman knows exactly how to seduce the boy, and then sinks her teeth in. A lot of different artists could write a song with the same storyline, but Teeth is full of metaphors and comparisons that only 5 Seconds of Summer could do.
Overall, I rate Teeth a 10/10, and I truly believe that this track is one of their best ever. It definitely sets the tone for their anticipated fourth studio album.