And Academy
"Love and Africa, Love and Academy" CD
Plan
De Sens / Track +S
Genres: indie pop, jangle pop, shoegazer
band
website
Dec 22 - 28 2003 |
Aesthetically
and musically, And Academy's Love and Africa, Love and
Academy is a beautiful release. Lush, pretty guitars and
soft vocals characterize the band's sound, which is a cross between Yo
La Tengo-esque shoegazer and more straightforward indie pop.
With such a pretty sound, it's hard not to like And Academy.
This disc is divided into two segments, Love and Africa and Love
and Academy. Things start off very well with "August in
Atlanta," a simple but melodically spastic number with a spacey
exterior. Female "bah-bah-bah" vocals are used to
complement the male-sung lyrics; this enhances the song's lush,
pleasant feel. "Now That You're Colorful," meanwhile,
sounds very L'altra-esque in its blend of pop and strings.
One of the album's best tracks is "Imported Germany," which
makes use of a very unusual song structure and some spacey melodies.
The Love and Academy part of the disc is barely discernible
from the other section, although it seems to be a bit more
energetic. "Waiting for the Hour Soon" and
"Transitional - 40 People Holding Hands" are perhaps more
rock-based than the album's other songs, with a bit more power in the
guitars and feistier vocals. "Circle, Straw and a
Suspect" is a surefire highlight, boasting a pretty, rolling
melody and song structure.
Many pop albums come out each year, and many go by unnoticed.
While And Academy's new disc may suffer from relative
obscurity, those who discover it will be pleased to find out that it's one of
the year's best. If you come across it, don't miss out.
87%
Matt Shimmer
[Vitals: 10 tracks, distributed by the
label, released 2003] |
