On the Turntable: AWOLNATION
Genre: Indie Pop/Electronic Rock
My Rating: Witty lyrics and catchy beats unite to rock your world

“I downloaded new music,” my brother announced as we were driving home for fall break. He plugged his iPhone into our car’s audio jack and put on “Sail” by AWOLNATION. The song started out softly, but before anyone was fooled, it launched into a bass drop. Our rearview mirror started shaking, and our radio briefly blew out, but more importantly, the song blew my mind. Woah!
AWOLNATION is a Los Angeles, Calif.-based band fronted by singer/songwriter Aaron Bruno. The band’s title pays homage to Bruno’s high school nickname, which was “AWOL.” Bruno would reportedly leave his friends without saying goodbye because, as he admitted, “it was easier.”
AWOLNATION is comprised of electric guitar, keyboard, drums and a number of other electronic instruments, including a synthesizer that really gives AWOLNATION their memorable sound.
The band released their debut album, “Megalithic Symphony,” in March 2011, which includes popular tracks such as “Sail,” “Not Your Fault” and “Kill Your Heroes.” The song “Sail” reached acclaim when it earned the #10 spot on the U.S. Billboard Rock Songs and went platinum soon after.
I’m not usually one to listen to electronic-style music, but when I do, it’s something from AWOLNATION. Bruno has incredible vocals that fall somewhere between singing and yelling poetically that are addictive to listen to. Further, the mostly fast-paced songs are eclectic, and each track is captivating due to sheer unpredictability.
As it turns out, “Sail” was also featured in a car commercial, and while my little Honda is far from the leagues of the revered BMW, playing AWOLNATION on my radio makes me feel just a little bit closer to infinite coolness.