Academy

• Artist: Academy
• Rating:
• Release Date: August 15, 2000
• Genre: Rock

Review

It may be 2000, but the Academy would beg to differ. Their calendars more likely read "1983," as this is soulful guitar/synth pop that brings back memories of so many evanescent, fleeting popular bands it makes you smile -- not the really doleful, asinine, facile Top 40 video bands with the inane hair and the flippant clothes, or some Gary Numan deal. This sounds more like World Party mixed with Human League with a touch of Yazoo, Synchronicity-era Police and the 7 Day Weekend-era Comsat Angels, only with the sort of effective, earnest vocal that comes off more like Squeeze or Dream Academy. (These songs are complete with those anachronistic, synthetic electronic drums playing the fills! How unintentionally silly!) In other words, this stuff is eons past its artistic sell-by date, and it greatly suffers for it, but it's not so godawful, either. At least these folks can write a little and sing with some feel. And unlike so many other widespread revivalists these days, this old-style field isn't very crowded! ~ Jack Rabid, Rovi

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