By Irish indie rockers The Academic come roaring into 2018 – tipped as our Ones To Watch and finally, their debut album Tales From The Backseat has been released, and it has been completely worth the three-year wait.
Recorded in LA with producer Tim Pagnotta (Dream Car, Wilde Belle, Saint Motel), Tales From The Backseat is a record possessing an energy and youthful vigour about the quartet’s reflection on life growing up in rural Ireland and offers some of their most accomplished songwriting to date.
From lead single ‘Different’- which was their debut single in 2015 – is a driving foot-stomping anthem that first took the band into the spotlight. We at ICM have been a big fan of The Academic and are proud of their slow but necessary progression to become a viral sensation.
New releases ‘Bear Claws’ and funk-infused previous single ‘Why Can’t We Be Friends?’, it’s no wonder the four-piece have been earmarked as one of Ireland’s biggest emerging acts. Their catchy melodies, relatable lyrics; ones that you can sing along to. Tearing drums and a storming bass, as well as some superb guitar riffs make their sound easily recognisable.
Since the release of their debut EP just over two years ago, the young indie outfit have toured throughout the US, UK and Europe building a dedicated grassroots following with a growing reputation for their explosive, high-octane live shows. The band have since been invited to support big-named acts including The Strokes, Twenty One Pilots, Noel Gallagher, The Kooks and Catfish And The Bottlemen.
Lead singer Craig Fitzgerald said: “In a world where there is a lot of seriousness we wanted to make a record that might take people away for a minute with our music – it’s a fun record with lots of energy. We wanted it to be infectious with an honest enthusiasm which I think we achieved”.
School is most definitely out for The Academic, a big 2018 awaits. See the bands live dates and listen to the full album below!
– Featured press image by Sam Hiscox –
Live Dates:
9th – Chelsea, Vienna, Austria
10th – Circolo Magnolia, Segrate, Italy
12th – Le Pop-Up du Label, Paris, France
13th – Botanique – Witloof Bar, Brussels, Belgium
14th – Little Waves 2018, Genk, Belgium
15th – Bitterzoet, Amsterdam, Netherlands
18th – Heartbreakers, Southampton, UK
19th – The Garage, London, UK
21st – The Cellar, Oxford, UK
22nd – Mama Roux’s, Rainbow Venues, Birmingham, UK
25th – Chapel, Leeds, UK
26th – King Tut’s Wah Wah Hut, Glasgow, UK
27th – The Deaf Institute, Manchester, UK
