Academy Killer
Lost In Make Believe EP
Genre: Pop-Punk/Alternative Rock
Release Date: September 26, 2019
Label: Independent
It’s amazing what three years can do for an artist. People truly seem to underestimate that time that a band can take between albums. They’re refining their craft (especially if their careers are just getting started), taking time to figure out their direction, constantly writing, and of course, trying to live their lives. Back in 2016, pop-punk four-piece Academy Killer released Late To The Party, their debut EP. Their sophomore offering, Lost In Make Believe, which was released just last Friday, shows eons of progression for a band that is only just beginning. The seven songs on Lost In Make Believe took the pop-punk aspect that was present throughout every song on their debut and build upon it ten-fold, making it anything other than a dreaded “sophomore slump”.
“The Distance” opens the EP with what could be classified as one of the best pop-punk tracks to hit the airwaves this year, launching into a hook-laden melodic assault that’s reminiscent of the kind of glossy pop-rock that was burgeoning in the alternative music scene circa 2009 (early All Time Low and Mayday Parade come to mind). It’s a throwback to an era that was only ten years ago, yet it evokes a feeling that is brand new. Its catchy hook will stay with you for days on end, and that’s only further emphasized by lyrics about chasing dreams and pushing forward when the going gets tough (“Set the sails, stay the course, no looking back just moving forward/Even though it’s just a dream, it’s out of hand not out of reach”). A bassline opens “Figure Me Out” before advancing into a song that rivals the type of melodies that Fall Out Boy would crank out on albums like From Under The Cork Tree and Infinity on High. Lush vocal harmonies encapsulate each chorus as vocalist Kevin Talbot croons the line “Can’t you figure me out?” over and over, almost as if it’s a cry for help.
“While I Drown” infuses Cabaret-Esque guitar strumming and vocal lines with a power-chord-driven chorus which shows Talbot reflecting on a struggle that one can only assume deals with the ending of some form of deal or contract (“You put your name on the dotted line, as agreed your soul is mine/Don’t beg and plead, kick or scream, the deal is done, no bargaining) and questioning whether or not the right choices were made (“Is this the life for me? No sight left unseen/If these walls could talk, I’m sure they’d scream). It’s one of the standout tracks on the EP, a change of pace from the overall sound of the album while still staying consistent in tone. And yet, it’s followed up by the most anomalous song, the head-over-heels-in-love “It’s True”, a waltzing pop effort that deviates furthest from the overall “pop-punk” feel.
“Looks To Kill” returns the band to the more traditional pop-rock offering that we encounter on the opening track, featuring distortion-filled guitars, a booming rhythm section, and emotionally-charged lyrics about love. While there’s nothing necessarily different here, there’s nothing wrong with it. It’s fun and shows Academy Killer having fun, lamenting about broken hearts and accompanying it with the appropriate musical accompaniment. The EP takes a far deeper turn with the standout “Seventeen”, a rather serious track that shows vocalist Talbot looking inward, tackling depression, a broken heart, and what we can only assume is the ending of something beautiful. It’s not the double-time, tongue-in-cheek lyrics you hear about a broken heart or getting back the girl; it’s the most emotionally-poignant track on the album, and the moment where you truly see what a band like Academy Killer is capable of evoking (“Scared of where I will go, don’t think I want to know/One last dance here with me, ‘cause I don’t want to die at seventeen”).
Contrastingly, the EP ends on a more upbeat note with “Tonight”, an anthemic good-bye to what once was that shows Talbot pouring the gasoline, lighting the match, and tossing it to ignite the proverbial fire (“Baby, I know where we stand, I could never be your man/I’m burning every bridge I can, I’m never coming back again). As the final note dissolves into the background, we’re left wondering what the future will bring from a band like Academy Killer, and what fare we can expect from them on a debut album. They grew leaps and bounds during a three-year gap between seven-song EPs. Who knows what they can do with twelve or thirteen? I for one will be looking forward to hearing what happens next.
