| |
| Hint: Add a reviewer as a friend to be notified when they post reviews. | Author's Rating
Inside AP.net
| Academy Is, The - SantiReviewed by: crit (04/02/07) | The Academy Is... - Santi
Record Label: FBR/Atlantic
Release Date: April 3rd, 2007
In 2005, The Academy Is... seemingly came out of nowhere and let us know that they were Almost Here with a precise, clean and catchy album full of hooks and crisp guitars. Fast forward two years. They're here now, and they're back with their second full length, Santi and this time they come fully equipped with a ravenous fanbase. Aligning themselves with star producer Butch Walker, they appear on the brink of stardom. Or are they?
The album opens on a high note: "Same Blood." William Beckett's vocals sound great, the guitar work of Mike Carden and new addition Michael Guy Chislett sound even better. Adam Siska's bass combined with The Butcher's drumming sound huge. Walker's production is top-notch, right from the get go it's smooth. The next two tracks ("LAX to O'Hare" & "We've Got a Big Mess on Our Hands") are quite a shock. They're downright dancy, and they just might be the two best songs the Arctic Monkeys never wrote. Beckett's vocals soar, and if you aren't at least tapping your toes to these tunes, you might not have a pulse. By the time "Big Mess" ends, it is apparent that the band is not Almost anything...they're Here, and they are Here in a big, big way. Next up is "Sleeping With Giants (Lifetime)" which finds Beckett asking "a simple question kid / are you with me or not at all?" Many TAI fans may be responding with a negative due to the direction the bands sound has taken, but if so, that's just too bad because this is absolutely a solid album. Listeners need to get over the fact that this is not the same band anymore to truly appreciate this album. I certainly didn't expect the band to sound like this and I don't think anyone did, but to their credit, they pull it off.
The following track is a ballad that swings and misses. "Everything We Had" might as well have been called "JetBlue," because you keep thinking it's about to take off, but it just doesn't go anywhere. Not even the strings at the end of the song can save this effort, it's nearly unlistenable. Easily the low point of the album. However, the next two tracks ("Bulls In Brooklyn" & "Neighbors") are upbeat, catchy and full of "whoa oh whoa oh's" that will get lodged in your brain for at least a fortnight. The former is one of the funkiest songs they've ever written, and both deserve to be played loud and fast in full-to-capacity stadiums around the world. The drumming and percussion are excellent. Just when you think you've got them figured out, the sound takes another turn. To this point, influences of Franz Ferdinand and the Arctic Monkeys are loud and clear. However, track 8, "Seed," has an amazing U2/The Cars vibe. Lyrically, it's the strongest song on the album. This is more of the sound I expected from the band, and they prove that they can change it up and still sound great.
The band bounces back to a dancy sound again on the next track, "Chop Chop" but the lyrics are weak and the song doesn't do anything to separate itself from the others. The track may have been better off chopped up on the cutting room floor. The album finishes with "You Might Have Noticed," another catchy hipshaker, and "Unexpected Places" which reverts back to the strong U2 vibe of "Seed" and ends the album on a high note just like it began.
While my love and adoration of this band is certainly no secret, I have done my best to review this album as objectively as possible. In fact, when I first listened to it, I didn't like it. It took 10-15 spins before I really got into it, and another 10-15 or so to really appreciate it. Yes, there are a few weak tracks. No, lyrically it's not as strong as their debut. It is, however, more mature, and the band shows off their musicianship and Walker shows off his flawless production skills, giving the songs an atmosphere of their own. This album is not for everyone, and it wouldn't shock me if a lot of fans jump off the bandwagon upon first listen. I believe that if they stick with it and keep listening and understand that this isn't the band they've grown to love over the past two years they'll end up just like me, and find themselves enjoying what truly is a solid rock and roll record. It's a simple question kids, are you with them or not at all?
Tracklisting:
01. Same Blood
02. LAX to O'Hare
03. We've Got a Big Mess on Our Hands
04. Sleeping with Giants (Lifetime)
05. Everything We Had
06. Bulls in Brooklyn
07. Neighbors
08. Seed
09. Chop Chop
10. You Might Have Noticed
11. Unexpected Places
The Academy Is...
William Beckett: vocals
Mike Carden: guitars
Michael Guy Chislett: guitars
Andy "The Butcher" Mrotek: drums, backing vocals
Adam T. Siska: bass
www.theacademyis.com |
|
|
Displaying posts 1 - 15 of 33. |
03:25 PM on 04/03/07 | Butch Walker really formed the entire sound of this album. It sounds like his last solo release. | | |
|
03:26 PM on 04/03/07 | .and the family telephone good review. it took me awhile to start liking this album too.
keep it up. | | |
|
04:02 PM on 04/03/07 | good review, but the production is horrible, making the vocals seem bad too | | |
|
06:08 PM on 04/03/07 | Good review. I'm really digging this album. | | |
|
06:08 PM on 04/03/07 | still havent formed a solid opinion yet. but good review. | | |
|
07:19 PM on 04/03/07 | very good album. its one that definitely takes a while to like though, so good job on that view :] | | |
|
08:23 PM on 04/03/07 | Originally Posted by Risk The Fall Butch Walker really formed the entire sound of this album. It sounds like his last solo release. |
i think he had a hand in it, but the album sounds just the way the band wanted it to sound.
Originally Posted by 1Roth4good review. it took me awhile to start liking this album too.
keep it up. |
thank you!
Originally Posted by Branevember31good review, but the production is horrible, making the vocals seem bad too |
you really think so? i really love the production. i think it's just flashy enough without being too glossy.
Originally Posted by bradyreierGood review. I'm really digging this album. |
thanks!
Originally Posted by utman8still havent formed a solid opinion yet. but good review. |
thank you. | | |
|
08:28 PM on 04/03/07 | butch walker did everything he could to ruin this band.
its a damn shame because The Fever and Toasted Skin sounded sooo promising. :( | | |
|
08:33 PM on 04/03/07 | good review, and fairly accurate from what i heard off their "leak" on the mtv site. i have yet to actually pick this up, but i'm definitely going to. to tell you the truth, i really liked the album when i first heard it. sure, there were some weaker songs, but i guess you cant be on top of your game ALL the time. | | |
|
08:35 PM on 04/03/07 | Originally Posted by Loch_Dounbutch walker did everything he could to ruin this band.
its a damn shame because The Fever and Toasted Skin sounded sooo promising. :( |
don't blame butch if you don't like the album. this is the album the band wanted to make. there was no formula or major label plan behind this. i believe the fever was left off because it really wasn't that strong of a track, and neither was toasted skin. | | |
|
08:41 PM on 04/03/07 | Sorry but I much prefer Beckett's vocals when he doesn't sound like he's singing in an underground cave... | | |
|
08:57 PM on 04/03/07 | just keep ahold of me, don't let go Good review. I like the album. I think it's pretty obvious though that a big chunk of the band's fanbase got into them because of their sound on Almost Here, and can't get past the fact that that's not what they want to sound like any more. | | |
|
09:27 PM on 04/03/07 | It's like The Devil and God are Raging Inside Me. You gotta listen a bunch of times to love it, and then you can't get over it. | | |
|
11:23 PM on 04/03/07 | Originally Posted by HavokownsmyhartIt's like The Devil and God are Raging Inside Me. You gotta listen a bunch of times to love it, and then you can't get over it. |
Definitly agree with that, I really had to give that disc a few listens until I fully appricated it, but I came around to it. As we speak, im uploading the new TAI...disc that I got today. What are the top 3 and worst 3 songs ? | | |
|
|
| Review Tools
|
Browse Reviews
Write a Review
Alphabetized Listing
Popular Reviews
Best New Music
View Artist Profile
View News Articles
Stream the Music
Buy the Album or MP3s
View Profile Picture
View Signature
Posts: 150
View Blog
Share This Review
Print This Review
Subscribe to Review
More From This Author