With a hint of justice in the power pop world, this is the album that will bring The Academy Is... to the front of the pack. With plenty of instrumental muscle, William Beckett's solid fronting vocals, and solid songwriting, the future should be bright. However, it is a very crowded field these days. Let's hope the good folks at Fueled By Ramen get The Academy Is... front and center on the radio and in concert where they belong.
Released by Fueled By Ramen August 2008
Quality Songs
Fast Times at Barrington High kicks off with the picture perfect wistfulness of "About a Girl" and continues on through a set of songs that are of a consistent high quality. Held together loosely with high school connotations and teen romance, tunes like "The Test" and "Beware! Cougar" wittily explore the travails of male young adults looking for romantic satisfaction, and yes, sex, too. The album closes with "One More Weekend" giving a pep talk for the years beyond teenage angst.
Maintaining Musical Versatility
The biggest drawback here is the driving guitar attack that can get a bit tiring and same sounding after too many similar songs. On this third album The Academy Is... seem to be reducing the experimentation that populated their last album Santi. However, The Academy Is... demonstrate ability here to change things up somewhat. "After the Last Midtown Show" veers into pleasing power ballad territory. "Coppertone" is a stripped down pop tune that would slide effortlessly into mainstream pop radio, and "Rumored Nights" encourages more than a few couples to glide across the dance floor arm in arm.
Top Tracks on 'Fast Times at Barrington High'
- "About a Girl"
- "The Test"
- "Coppertone"
- "Beware! Cougar!"
Maturation of a Band
On Santi it was a bit difficult at times to identify the heart of the Academy Is... Were they the sarcastic, almost campy sound of "LAX to O'Hare," or the glitter rock stompers of "Bulls in Brooklyn," or Fall Out Boy acolytes like on "We've Got a Big Mess On Our Hands?" Fast Times at Barrington High proves they are a confident power pop outfit proudly carrying the emo standard as well. This is the confident sound of a band knowing who they are and knowing they can rise to the top of the pack.
