Wednesday, 15 February 2023

The Academic - Sitting Pretty

 

The Irish quartet are quite a bit bigger than bands that we would normally cover, but Sitting Pretty is such a great Pop Rock album and wouldn't normally be aimed at our generation. There is a real sense at the moment that the Guitar is back and da Indie kidz are leading it.

As with any scene, it is not the most deserving that get the notice and where people will rave about my local neighbours, The Reytons, as though they invented music, you should cast around where you will find the melodic stuff that has the lasting power than bands with faux streetwise lyrics and no tunes.



I mentioned Vistas last night and The Academic are not only their equal, but probably even better, the songs are certainly written to get your feet tapping and voice going.  This a set of well crafted, essentially catchy chorus affairs and there is a good deal of variety.

Do What You Want could almost be The Bay City Rollers yet Let Go Of My Heart starts with a Cult like riff and My Very Best is very 80s with hints Of The Cars. Right Where You Left Me has a real Jangle to it and a massive chorus. Rain is a much darker affair, a little mid period Depeche Mode in sound.



The closer, Buying Smokes is a great listen, 70s Pop Rock in feel, which the band masters to a tee and there is a wonderful last minute and a half when Psych takes over. When The Academic Rock, they don't half give it some without ever losing sight of the melody.

Pushing Up Daisies is a fantastic song, chopping and changing at will and Craig Fitzgerald almost sounds like Mounties' Heavy Meta. That is the beauty of Fitzgerald's voice, it adapts to the Pop or the Rock and all in between, at times it is a little Bolan-esque. What a great album, incredibly and surprisingly sounding more mature that  you dare expect. The Kids Are Alright, very Alright.



You can listen to and buy the album here, other links can be found here. The band's website is here.


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