Press Play to Begin: A Review of Michael Clifford’s Sidequest
by Savannah Bowie | August 1st, 2025
Credit: Hopeless Records
Sidequest (noun): an optional or unexpected activity that a person engages in, often for enjoyment or to break from routine. Much like in video games, sidequests add a sense of exploration, freedom, and fun. Michael Clifford’s debut album, fittingly titled Sidequest, is a small detour in his musical career as a member of 5 Seconds of Summer. Known for his love of gaming, he has crafted an album that plays out like an open-world story of his life. This album feels like stepping into Michael’s world: a place full of memories, reflection, and raw honesty. With just ten tracks, Sidequest is a deeply personal piece of work that allows listeners to explore corners of his world we haven’t gotten to see yet.
The opening song, “Kill Me for Always” (ft. Porter Robinson), shows a soft, more stripped-back side of Michael that echoes the raw emotions of Jet Black Heart (a personal favorite from Sounds Good Feels Good and certified “Michael song”). It eases us in slowly and gives us a taste of what’s to come.
Next up is “Cool,” Michael’s debut single, and an obvious standout for longtime 5SOS fans. It’s nostalgic—think 2015, new hair color every five business days—but underneath the pop-punk sound is something deeper. It touches on feeling out of place and not being “cool” enough to fit in, emotions anyone can relate to. Despite being disguised as an upbeat song you can dance to, the vulnerability hits hard when you truly listen to it. Continuing this vibe, “Give Me a Break” (ft. Waterparks) pairs its high-energy sound with lyrics full of frustrations about the pressures of fame, media scrutiny, and the lack of control over one’s narrative.
With the next track, “Remember When,” Michael looks back on his relationship before the world got involved—when it was just two people innocently in love. It’s the perfect transition into “Enough,” the halfway mark of the album. Reminiscent of Invisible (another favorite from Sounds Good Feels Good), Michael sings, “I could never hate someone else, more than I hate myself now.” A heartbreaking line that lets us experience his insecurity, wondering if he will ever be enough for someone else.
“Fashion” revives the pop-punk aura from the earlier tracks. Lyrics like “You changed the words (while I sang along)” and “Wear me on your arm like fashion. Just to get a reaction,” to me, speak of what it’s like to be used and commodified—all while going along with it.
Michael slows it down again, with “Thirsty,” bringing back that acoustic-like feel. It’s a song about yearning for a safe space and a sense of belonging. Then, with “Nosebleeds,” Michael opens up about what it’s like to suffer in silence and be misunderstood. This track reminds us that no matter how much you love an artist or think you know them, you’ll never fully understand what they’re going through.
“If I Had a Choice” (ft. Ryan Hall) follows seamlessly. It’s a dream world we all wish we could escape to—a place where we can be someone else. For Michael, that means entering a world away from the cameras, lack of privacy, and relentless pressure, even just for a day.
Finally, to close out the album is “Eclipse,” a love letter Michael wrote to his daughter, Lua, complete with her voice in the background. It’s soft, beautiful, and emotionally overwhelming in the best way (it made me cry within seconds). He sings directly to her about how she’s changed his life—how, through her, he finally grasped the meaning of life. It’s a breathtaking ending to a perfect album. And if that didn’t make me cry enough, he and his wife, Crystal, recently announced they’re expecting another daughter.
From start to finish, Sidequest feels like a tribute to the last fifteen years of Michael's life, through the lens of emotional maturity and the resilience that comes with surviving the highs and lows fame throws at you. This isn’t just a sidequest from 5SOS—it’s Michael’s way of reclaiming the narrative and finally telling his own story.
