This album starts off with “Here Come The Runts”, which I actually really don’t mind as an intro. And to be honest, that’s already one more tune than I expected to truly enjoy here. I love all the excitement here, with some really fantastic buildup and explosive instrumentals. Obviously, we’re dealing with Awolnation, so there’s a whole lot of synths and Electronic Rock feel. But the upbeat passage that follows is actually seriously throttling, and the triumphant trumpets and other instrumentals that follow actually really usher in this very epic feel. Now, personally, I don’t think this is Aaron’s best vocal performance, I actually feel like he sounds a little more nasally than usual. But it’s still a really fantastic opener. Up next we have “Passion” which, I do like a lot of elements of. I think it’s certainly catchy and an average at best Pop Rock tune. But it’s tracks like this that usually really stick with me the most of from Awolnation. But “Passion” really doesn’t stick with me at all. The quiet, attempting to be soulful verses just come off awkward, and the chorus, while it is catchy, it just so thrown together. Everything about this one is so average, and while I do like a few elements here and there, absolutely nothing is warranting a second listen. By the time we get to “Sound Witness System” though, all hope is lost, because this track is beyond an abomination. These one-liners and incredibly disturbing innuendoes have me constantly putting my head in my hands. Awolnation want to be taken seriously, and make this album full of “life-changing” moments, but then give us this. This instrumental is barely a factor, and Aaron’s practically Rap vocal performance is doing absolutely nothing for me. “Sound Witness System” is nauseating. Then we have “Miracle Man”, and I have to ask, what the hell happened to Aaron’s songwriting? I mean, obviously, he’s never been an unbelievable songwriter or anything. But this track and a whole mess of other tunes here are just plain lazy. I’m seriously beginning to feel like I’m just listening to the same, repetitive tracks over and over. Not to mention, this is supposed to be their branching out album. At this point, I would rather hear more of the same they’ve been dishing out the past few years. And while Aaron is trying so hard to break out these soulful performances, they come off so heartless. Now, this album is jam-packed full of Awolnation attempts at making their own Rock album compared to their usual Electronic Rock. To be honest though, “Handyman” is one of the closest attempts to them forming a decent Rock sound. Now yes, this is easily the cheesiest song that Awolnation have ever released, and Aaron’s constant need to push in his very paranoid thoughts is a little ridiculous. Not to mention, it sounds like any Post-Grunge ballad by any forgettable band of that era. But call me absolutely nuts, this is a catchy tune, and while I’m not completely sold on it, it’s the lesser of many evils.
But very quickly, we’re right back to the very synthetic sound of “Jealous Buffoon”, complete with overly cinematic atmospheres and a goofy chorus. With tracks like this, I have no idea how Awolnation really expect to be taken seriously. And keep in mind this is supposed to be an album in the style of Aaron’s idols and influences, which makes this even worse. It’s a ridiculously cheesy performance once again. There isn’t a captivating instrumental in the bunch, and Aaron comes off as simply put, annoying. Not to mention, through all of this we have to deal with the sense that Awolnation thinks they really are putting out some life-changing Rock. And it really just keeps on getting worse with “Seven Sticks of Dynamite”. I’m sorry, but Aaron’s very cringe-worthy attempt at “soulful vocals makes me seriously miss the early days of this band. The group vocals are literally the best thing about this one, just because they end up drowning out Aaron’s vocals. There aren’t even any interesting instrumentals to latch on to because all we get is this unbearably straightforward strumming and nothing else. When these bigger instrumentals pop in later, I just can’t shake the feeling that Awolnation thinks this absolute pile of garbage is “Real, Rock music”. By the time we get to “A Little Luck…And A Couple of Dogs”, Awolnation are just wasting my time. It’s a 40-second tune, and it’s not nearly as cute as Aaron thinks it is. What the hell even happened to this band? Yes, I wouldn’t exactly say I was a “Fan” of these guys back in the day, but I enjoyed them casually. But then I hear “Table For One”, and this is just so faceless, cheesy, and unbearable honestly. Aaron’s vocals don’t even come off heartfelt or passionate in this tale of that he’s telling us where we’re supposed to feel bad for him. And while I would usually like this slower, more punchy instrumental from Awolnation, I just feel like it’s not nearly as exciting as it could have been. I’’m ready for their inevitable return to a more Electronic-Rock sound soon. “My Molasses” is up next…..and that’s weird, I actually feel like I can seriously enjoy this one. It may stem from the more synthetic feel of this one, or Aaron’s vocals that sound so much more like something he can handle. Hell, I would say this track comes off as “cool”, which is something I haven’t been able to say in ages. And yes, this is still a sappy, heartbroken jam that I have no idea where it’s coming from. And yes, after all of this, Aaron’s paranoia once again creeps its way in. But as far as a well-written song goes, this is easily a standout for me. And as unbelievably cheesy as it is, it comes off fairly sweet.
I can’t believe I’m saying it, but I actually really enjoy “Cannonball” as well. Yes, that’s right, two songs in a row that actually have some passion to them, crazy huh? This one actually honestly comes off like a track that would have fit nicely on the band’s “Megalithic Symphony” album, and it works really nicely. Yes, there is still a boatload of ridiculous one-liners, but Awolnation plays here with such determination that you actually completely forget that. Not to mention, these instrumentals are some of the album’s most exciting by far. Obviously, this is still an absolute pile of garbage of an album. But for a seriously fun and memorable tune, “Cannonball” works great. Oh boy, but then the very bizarre instrumental palette of “Tall, Tall Tale” instantly starts rubbing me the wrong way. But as a whole, it’s not absolutely awful. Once again, I feel like Aaron does seem like he’s taking on some more tunes that he and his band can easily succeed with. And while I’m not saying this track is amazing, because it is a little too straightforward for my liking, this has a good element or two that I can really dig into. Except for that scream Aaron, buddy it sounds like you were going to crack any moment. And “The Buffoon” sounds dreadful from its opening notes. It’s clearly connected to “Jealous Buffoon”, with that idiotic synth melody playing over and over. And even though this is a little heavier and Aaron’s vocals aren’t anywhere in sight, “The Buffoon” does nothing for me but waste 2 minutes on an incredibly lackluster interlude. Thankfully, “Stop That Train” as a finale really isn’t that bad either. Mostly because Awolnation is once again sticking with a more synthetic sound. But as decent as some of these instrumentals are here, I can’t help shaking that this one is just so corny. Not to mention, some of the progressions here from one passage to the next simply sound awkward. I think there are some really solid ideas on “Stop That Train”, and there’s a decent song deep down. But like most of this album, it’s messy as hell.
Rating: 5.5/10
Give A Listen To: “Here Come The Runts”, “My Molasses”, “Cannonball”, I mean that's really it....
Genre: Alternative Rock / Electronic Rock / Rock that takes itself way too seriously.
Overall Thoughts: Boy oh boy. For years, I've honestly thought that while Awolnation has been able to put out some solid singles. But as far as an album goes, time and time again I feel like they just end up being corny when it comes to the big picture. But if that was the case years ago, that goes double for this album here. Every once in a while, Aaron Bruno and company have a decent sound on here, even enough to put out a solid tune in its entirety. But the remainder of this album is corny, ridiculous, and takes itself way too seriously. Awolnation for most of this album does strip down their sound, getting rid of most electronics. But to be honest, that electronic element was the only thing that would occasionally lead me to enjoy an Awolnation track. And when that's taken away, we're left with Awolnation desperately trying to write straightforward Rock tunes, which somehow come off more ridiculous than their Electro-Rock Conspiracy tunes. Not a good album.
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