AWOLNATION - The Phantom Five (CD)

AWOLNATION titling the fifth album of original songs in 15 years The Phantom Five is about more than just chronology. The number 5 is associated with independence and individualism, major life changes and experiences, all of which influenced the resulting album. It’s a collection of ten songs that highlights every different impulse and urge Bruno has learned to master with AWOLNATION in a cohesive, anthemic pastiche of modern music. As he himself admits, it functions almost as a “greatest hits” album, in the sense that it offers something for everyone who has followed the band’s arc in its celebrated, shape-shifting way. The first single, “Panoramic View,” stands out with its sincerity on its sleeve; in fact, while not necessarily a new direction for AWOL, the idea of a heartfelt ballad being the first track available to fans is emblematic of Bruno’s newfound control over every aspect of an album release—something that he says might not have happened in previous days.

1    Jump Sit Stand March
2    Party People
3    Panoramic View
4    I Am Happy
5    Barbarian
6    Bang Your Head
7    City Of Nowhere
8    A Letter To No One
9    When I Was Young
10    Outta Here