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Santi - an album worth listening to

Think Razorlight, with a touch of that USA rock...and what have you got? It's the new album by The Academy Is... It's been two years since they emerged from the same pop-punk scene that produced Fall Out Boy with their debut indie piece 'Almost Here', and it was pretty clear the band was on the verge of hitting it big. The second album, 'Santi', finds them abandoning their former sound for something bigger, and more classic rock inspired.

Lyrically, several of the tracks on the album are disappointing, as the words were written in the days leading up to recording. However, this does give the vocals an improvised feel, despite the ridiculousness of some of the subject matter, which is actually quite interesting. The lead single 'We've Got A Big Mess On Our Hands' and the track 'LAX To O'Hare' are both examples of interesting writing and loose delivery which is a constant feature of the album's tracks. While 'Big Mess' is obviously geared for the stage, the latter track recounts a series of unfortunate events that land the singer in an improvised situation.

When Santi sounds good, it has that late-Eighties pop-rock appeal. Unfortunately, even though the tracks are good, there are none that really stand out. 'Bulls In Brooklyn' kicks off with a bass drum part, with an amazing central instrumental. Even the more punk-based numbers 'Chop Chop' and 'Neighbours' have very strong guitar riffs. While the first is played swiftly, later morphing into one of the catchiest features of the album, and pulling the listener into the atmosphere; leading bass lines and more tempo changes shake up the later track. 'We've Got A Big Mess On Our Hands,' is a more unique choice for a single. Towards the end, it slows down and swells up, shooting back to its fuller speed, complimenting the harmonies, which are remarkably blended together. 'Sleeping With Giants,' offers a different taste on the album. The power ballad has big riffs, a smooth running chorus and is remarkable. They continue this theme with 'Everything We Had.' It's everything a slow track is expected to be, with an amazing choir sounding chorus, and a slow ballad ending. 'Seed' is moderate in tempo with a gentle bass and chorus, until the amazing rock conclusion. The last two tracks on the album, 'You Might Have Noticed' and 'Unexpected Places' are disconnected from all previous tracks, showing the amazing talent of the musicians, with a slightly different sound to the previous songs.

Taken as a whole, 'Santi' is a major step forward from their debut album for The Academy is... distinguishing themselves from the shadow of Fall Out Boy, My Chemical Romance and other artists without sacrificing too many of the essential elements of their debut album. The Academy Is... has emerged as a band with ambition and some song writing ability and musical talent to match. Expect plenty of infectious melodies and great tunes in the near future.