Michael Clifford - SIDEQUEST [Clear]

Michael Clifford steps out from 5 Seconds of Summer with SIDEQUEST, his 2025 solo debut, pressed here on clear vinyl.

Known for years as the band's guitarist and resident pop-punk devotee, the Australian musician used his first solo record to chase the ideas that did not fit the day job. The album is pop-punk in spirit but spills into big synths, hyperpop flourishes and glossy electronic production, with John Feldmann and Porter Robinson among a long list of collaborators behind the boards. Clifford produced alongside them, and his fingerprints are all over the record's restless, magpie energy.

Opener "Kill Me for Always" pairs Clifford with Porter Robinson for a rush of glittering synths and emotional release, while lead single "Cool" offers a punchy, tongue-in-cheek hook. "Give Me a Break!" brings in Waterparks for a frantic anthem about burnout and impostor syndrome, and "Thirsty" strips things back to an acoustic-led ballad that shows a softer side.

Across ten tight tracks and under half an hour, SIDEQUEST wrestles with self-doubt, fame and romance without ever losing its sense of fun.

For 5SOS fans curious about the man behind the riffs, it is a revealing and refreshingly unpredictable listen, and proof that a side project can carry as much personality as the main event.