The Academy Is... have been on my radar since their excellent 2005 debut Almost Here showcased their ability to write incredibly catchy pop rock songs. They changed direction somewhat in 2007 with their sophomore album Santi which employed a more straightforward rock sound but was still quite good. I was thrown off by their new sound at first but eventually grew to like it and I looked forward to hearing more from them in that vein. I was surprised last August to walk into the music store and see Fast Times at Barrington High sitting on the shelf. I wasn’t even aware they were coming out with a new record, but I of course purchased it nonetheless. The Academy Is… took it back to high school in more ways than one on this record. Gone are the retro guitar tones found on Santi. Fast Times is unapologetically poppy and feels much more like Almost Here. You would think that would be good, but there is just something too polished about this record. A lot of the songs sound similar and make The Academy Is… blend in with the nameless and faceless thousands of emo bands out there today. That being said, Fast Times isn’t a lost cause and it works well as windows down driving music to bob your head to. “His Girl Friday” is a pretty clever song with some interesting synth lines thrown in for good measure.The Academy Is... - "His Girl Friday"
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