2008 Woodie Awards
The Academy Is... - "Santi" reviewed
by Wesley Case
Issue date: 4/10/07 Section: Mosaic
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The Academy Is...
Atlantic
Rating: 2 and 1/2 stars (out of 5)
It seems bands just aren't content with its sound for too long anymore. Artistic growth is encouraged, but when you're The Academy Is.., the drawing board could have waited.
After releasing its insanely catchy debut in February 2005, "Almost Here," it seemed the Chicago act was destined for TRL stardom. But when it didn't come, the boys filled their sugar-induced cavities and replaced them with a straight-ahead rock record that yields mixed results.
When the boys allow their former selves to peak through (the adrenaline-soaked "Same Blood," "We've Got A Big Mess on Our Hands"), the record soars. But when the group's new influences take over (the rockabilly-infused "Bulls in Brooklyn"), the actual players are lost in the shuffle. "Santi's" saving grace: "Everything We Had," the group's stab at a ballad, gushes with melodrama and would fit perfectly on a Hollywood soundtrack. Although it misses, "Santi" offers a sense of optimism for the band's future.
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