THE ACADEMIC - SITTING PRETTY
On The Academic’s sophomore album, Sitting Pretty, the band steps into the new year with a formidable sense of optimism and eagerness to face the future. The Irish quartet established a name for themselves in the UK pool of young rockers emerging onto the scene in 2018 with their debut album Tales from the Backset.
With it came a knack for channeling the zest of bands from the past while also trying to discover what separates them from the rest, setting themselves up for a launch into commercial success. Upon listening to their music for the first time, you can tell that they don’t care, and what I mean by that is that they are in it for the pure,unsullied enjoyment that they gain from it. That’s the beauty of being in the early stages of one's career. You’re free to experiment and create without the worry of harsh critics of naysayers being at your door.
The Academic describes Sitting Pretty as one of those albums that vocalize how many of us have felt at one point or another as we get older. “It’s about the entrance into true adulthood and how that can alienate you from yourself, making you feel like you’re playing a supporting role in your own life. In one moment feeling 100% certain about everything, only to become overwhelmed with feelings of aimlessness and lack of direction in the next.”
Throughout the album, you can feel the group effortlessly trying to reclaim that ‘main character energy’ that has become the theme for this year, reminding themselves not to take the backseat as they go on this thrilling ride through their twenties. They’re in that weird space between the teen years and young adulthood when you’re to experience everything that life has to offer, but you remember that you’re virtually all-alone in that journey. A strong, ready to take on the world zealousness fills up the list of songs, creating something fitting for the playlists that appear on teen-oriented Netflix shows. The Academic relies on lead singer Craig Fitzgerald to build the bridge between youth and adulthood with his honeyed tenor voice. Fitzgerald accomplishes this, giving listeners an ebullient charm, perfect for the lead singing role. ‘What’s Wrong With Me’ follows an old-rock styled formula, powerful lyrics and a jaunty melody, topped off by an impressive electric guitar solo towards the end. “How do I end up in these situations with no control? / How do I end up pretending and breaking?”
It’s in those tracks like ‘Right Where You Left Me’ and ‘Don’t Take It Personally” that hold true to the buoyant, bright-eyed indie-rock aesthetic that they channel in their music. The album retains a buzzy, playfulness but it doesn’t feel like they’re stuck in their youth forever. Many of these songs deal with acceptance. Acceptance of what’s to come and acceptance of what has happened. A testament to the old adage of letting bygones be bygones. ‘My Very Best’ offers one of the album’s best examples of that, as the narrator admits that they aren’t in the best emotional space for a relationship. ‘Homesick’ shows Fitzgerald coping with his reality, however dismal it may seem. “It’s just the way life is at the moment /It’s just the cards that you’ve been dealt.” The bittersweet closing ‘Buying Smokes’ perfectly finishes out Sitting Pretty, a striking refrain of “I’m done with…” signifying the importance of moving forward and relinquishing the things that brought you pain and discomfort.
There’s no doubt that The Academic is growing into a dynamic force within their sector of the music world. We can see the band searching for their identity within this very unique era of music that we’re living in. Although this album didn’t offer anything head-turning, it did let fans know that they are here to stay, and that they are simply on the cusp of a very promising career.
Alana Brown-Davis
★★★★★