The Runaway Club - The Runaway Club

The Runaway Club

The Runaway Club
self-released; 2014

4.0 out of 5 - TOP ALBUM

By Jerrica Tisdale

Alan Poettcker gives The Runaway Club its brain and voice. While a teenager he played guitar in various rock and punk bands. After high school, Poettcker developed a fondness for synthesizers, which helped inspire him to form the beats behind The Runaway Club. 

The Runaway Club embodies your favorite thing about the 80’s. It gives listeners the beautiful stench of nostalgia, which resulted from Poettcker’s usage of these synthesizers: the Roland Alpha Juno 2, Oberheim Matrix 1000, Korg Polysix, Yamaha DX 7, and Korg M1.

The track “Good Together” tells a simple tale of two people whose bad habits balance the others. Furthering the song’s jolly message, it enlists a scene from Friends where Ross and Rachel declare their love for one another. “Lightning” nearly crosses over to the ballad realm by creating a meditative song. It’s about going through the motions waiting for that next spark to strike to create magic again in one’s life or relationship. “Downhill from Here” introduces the song by building the feeling of an open field with sounds. This works with the idea of freeing oneself from fear, because you’re going to die anyway, so why not live life to the fullest?  Each track has its own brand of “dance until you drop” catchiness and mature, smart lyrics.  

The Runaway Club’s album whimsically converts you to a fan from the opening beat. Despite the clear 80’s references, The Runaway Club could easily battle and beat many pop bands on the market. Any song on this album could play on today’s airwaves without hesitation. The Runaway Club’s catchy songs, upbeat rhythms and universal lyrics create a memorable musical journey.

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