THE ACADEMIC’s upcoming album “Sitting Pretty”

BY LIAM GILLIN (HE/HIM)

Ireland may just be a small country in Europe but it is filled with musicians of immaculate talent. The Irish indie-rock group The Academic is set to release their second album Sitting Pretty on February 10 and head on tour this spring. This is the first album the band has produced in over five years. From the success of Tales from the Backseat to performances all over the world, The Academic is ready to take on the next chapter in their careers.

What can fans expect from Sitting Pretty compared to Tales from the Backseat and other previous work? What is going to make Sitting Pretty different is that it is the result of years of trial, error, and a lot of patience.  Five years is a long time in between albums and with the pandemic, the band wanted to wait until they could get studio access again so they had the right tools to construct Sitting Pretty properly. The pandemic was not only able to bring the band closer but also gave them the ability to figure out what exactly their sound would be. 

Sitting Pretty is anticipated to be an album about navigating life in your twenties. In regards to the band providing advice on navigating being in your twenties to fans, it would be to “Check in with yourself, everyone is going through it because it is important to know yourself.” The album cover itself can tell fans so much about what is in store for Sitting Pretty. It lets us know about the revolution of the band and what visual aesthetic they want to be the symbol of their music.

As The Academic embarks on a European and 14 city American Tour this spring, the group is excited to play “My Very Best,” “What’s Wrong with Me,” “Buying Smokes.” They are also looking forward to performing in cities such as Seattle, New York, Vancouver. Sitting Pretty has a lot of excitement and is ready to be the next big album to take on the indie rock genre next week. The Academic has a well rounded year and career ahead of them.