From Almost Here to Santi, The Academy Is... relinquished their signature pop sound for a matured, alienating movement that failed to capture any real connection with their fans.With their fourth studio release, the Chicagoans decided to mix together some of the best parts of their previous releases, although the same problems that plagued Santi affect lead singer William Beckett and company again.
From the opening track, "About a Girl," listeners will notice Beckett's voice has a slightly lower pitched range this go-round. Featuring a steady drum beat backing it solid chorus, the track provides a solid opening for the album.
Whereas the song provides a solid backbone for the album, the next two tracks follow in its footsteps so as much that any deviation from one another is inexistent. "His Girl Friday" features a chorus that unfortunately repeats itself far too often for any replayed listens.
"Crowded Room" is one of the closest tracks to Santi, which means it features an incredibly obnoxious opening 30 seconds and a lack of cohesion.
The back-end of the album features some of the strongest tracks on the album, including the ballad "After the Last Midtown Show" and the closer "One More Weekend." While neither track features lyrics worth mentioning, both feature Beckett's grandiose vocals at their very best.
While this album is a solid mix of their previous releases, the large problem is that after quite a few spins, it all blends together. Many of the tracks just plain don't stand out from one another. Almost Here mixed together great pop music with clever lyrics, yet this album just fails at creating anything special.
Vocals - 8/10
Lyrics - 5/10
Creativity - 5/10
Replay Value - 5/10
Overall- 76%
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