By Kimberly Pollock
“You’ll see what we mean / You’ll notice when we’re gone.” These lyrics from the band The Academy Is… could only be described as foreshadowing. First gaining recognition as an opening act for bands such as Fall Out Boy, Less Than Jake and Motion City Soundtrack, the five-piece band from Chicago shows promising talent on this album. Their debut LP, Almost Here, was released in early February on Fueled By Ramen Records, and is already making waves everywhere.
The very first lines of the upbeat opening track, “Attention,” seem to inadvertently invite the listener to give the band a chance: “Attention, attention / May I have all your eyes and ears.” The opening lyrics are not backed by loud music, and they are almost like an unspoken challenge, sung by lead vocalist William Beckett in a confident and cocky tone. Anyone who is a fan of emo or pop-punk music who gives this band a listen will most likely be glad that they did.
While there are no piano-driven ballads on this album, certain tracks are a bit more somber than others, and not just because of the tempo of the music. Tracks like “Classifieds” and “Skeptics and True Believers” all feature lyrics that go a bit deeper than they may seem to right up front. “Classifieds” seems like a fun, happy-go-lucky song, but if you actually listen, you’ll realize that it’s got a very cocky tone to it, one that you may not find until towards the end of the track: “Did you buy what I sold? / Did you feel what I told you?” Fans of Brand New may recognize that it’s almost reminiscent of the song “Me v. Maradona v. Elvis” from their album Deja Entendu.
“Skeptics and True Believers” could be classified as a song about heartbreak, but it’s also a metaphorical middle finger to the heartbreaker. “So I’m selfish / And you’re sorry / When I’m gone you’ll be going nowhere fast / So who’s selfish? / And who’s sorry?”
Fans of bands such as The Early November and Brand New will appreciate The Academy Is…’s smooth and easily relatable lyrics, while the uplifting beats that cause listeners’ toes to tap remind some of Jimmy Eat World and Midtown. Catch The Academy Is… on the Fueled By Ramen & Friends tour, with Fall Out Boy, Gym Glass Heroes, Midtown, and Silverstein. You’ll be glad that you did.