Ashton Irwin - he of 5 Seconds of Summer fame - has announced a debut solo album.
It's called 'Superbloom', and will arrive on 23rd October. The record was recorded after Ashton noted an empty touring and recording schedule with 5SOS at the start of lockdown. Made in his LA home with his producer husemate Matt Pauling, a press release lists influences including "Foo Fighters, Nick Drake, Helmet, Silverchair, Stone Temple Pilots, My Bloody Valentine, & Curve". Oooo, etc.
There's a first single from the record to hear too. Titled 'Skinny Skinny', it was inspired by a deep dive into the works of the previously name-checked Nick Drake, and concerns a conversation with Ashton's 15-year-old brother about body image.
“He’s already caught up in his own mental image of what his body should look like,” explains Ashton. “I thought that was such a crippling trap for a young man to try and walk through. I needed to write a song that captured the pain of body dysmorphia. I have been through stages in my life where I’ve been sickened by that state of mind”.
