Calum Hood - ‘Call Me When You Know Better’
Calum Hood finds power in pain on ‘Call Me When You Know Better, giving us a first glance into his debut solo album ‘Order Chaos Order’.
Calum Hood steps boldly into his solo spotlight with ‘Call Me When You Know Better’, in a triumphant and soul-baring turn. This serves as an electrifying first single from his debut solo album, Order Chaos Order, which is slated for release on June 13, via Island EMI.
After nearly 15 whirlwind years of global stardom as one-fourth of 5 Seconds of Summer, Hood emerges here as a fully realised artist with introspection, unfiltered, and fearless in emotional excavation. This song isn’t just a musical evolution; it’s a statement of intent, and it arrives with a magnetic blend of Eighties nostalgia and raw, modern vulnerability.
From the first shimmering synths and pulsing rhythms, ‘Call Me When You Know Better’ introduces a new sonic chapter for Hood, one that is drenched in moody atmosphere and layered emotion. The track feels cinematic in its scope, yet deeply intimate in tone. Hood’s voice, nuanced and aching, delivers lyrics that cut through with confessional precision, capturing the mental tug-of-war between regret, longing, and accountability. It’s a self-contained world of contradictions—beautiful and broken, urgent yet restrained.
The most striking element of the song is its lyrical depth. Hood peels back the emotional armour he once wore onstage with 5SOS, revealing instead the complexity of being a flawed human in the aftermath of love and missteps. His lyrics spill out like pages of an unsent letter, teetering between apology and resignation. It’s not just heartbreak that Hood examines here, it’s the tangled mess of identity, ego, and self-awareness that follows in its wake. Each line lingers like smoke in the air, impossible to ignore and beautifully haunting.
What makes ‘Call Me When You Know Better’ so compelling is that it doesn’t reach for grandiosity; it sits comfortably in discomfort. That bold, creative choice makes it feel more intimate and relatable. There’s a cathartic honesty in hearing an artist wrestle with his inner noise, especially when the result is as sonically captivating as this. The track serves not only as the album’s genesis but also as a thematic compass, pointing toward a collection of songs rooted in reflection and raw truth.
Hood describes the track as a “love letter in the form of an apology,” and that duality is everywhere in the production, soft edges clashing with sharp melodies, melancholic tones wrapped in warm synths. It’s a sonic embodiment of emotional conflict, and it’s stunning. The vulnerability in his performance is amplified by production that feels both nostalgic and fresh, reminiscent of the best of the '80s with a distinctly 2025 bite.
With, Order Chaos Order, looming on the horizon, ‘Call Me When You Know Better’ is a perfect introduction to the solo era of Calum Hood. It’s clear that this is not just a side project or an experiment, and it’s a reinvention. Fans who have followed his journey from pop-punk stages to this more reflective terrain will be thrilled to see him stepping into his own voice, one that isn’t afraid to shake, stumble, and soar.
If this single is any indication of what’s to come, Order Chaos Order, is shaping up to be one of the most emotionally resonant debuts in recent memory. ‘Call Me When You Know Better’ leaves us not just eager for more but ready to follow Calum Hood wherever his truth takes him next. The sound of regret has never sounded this gorgeous.
Words by Danielle Holian
