Here Come the Runts

If Aaron Bruno’s goal was to create a rock album similar to the ones he idolized growing up—think Bruce Springsteen, The Cars, Dire Straits—he succeeded. The AWOLNATION prodigy swirls numerous styles into the mix and retrofits them for today. “Miracle Man” and “Jealous Buffoon” have an urgency that recalls Eurythmics and The Power Station. Snappy bars and drum loops frame “Sound Witness System” firmly in the present. Yet despite all the cool bells and whistles (literally), it’s the straight-and-narrow songwriting and vocal performances on “Handyman” and “My Molasses” that make Here Come the Runts stand out.