The Academic
{{Short description|Irish indie rock band}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2019}}
{{Infobox musical artist
| name = The Academic
| image = The Academic band 2016.png
| image_size =
| image_upright =
| landscape =
| alt =
| caption = The Academic in 2016
| alias =
| origin = Killucan, County Westmeath, Ireland
| genre = Alternative rock, indie rock, indie pop
| years_active = {{start date|2013}}–present
| label = {{plainlist|
}}
| associated_acts =
| website = {{URL|theacademic.net}}
| current_members = {{plainlist|
- Craig Fitzgerald
- Dean Gavin
- Matthew Murtagh
- Stephen Murtagh
- Max Clayton
}}
| module =
| module2 =
| module3 =
}}
The Academic are an Irish indie rock band from Killucan, County Westmeath. The band consists of Craig Fitzgerald, Dean Gavin, and brothers Matthew and Stephen Murtagh.
Their debut studio album, Tales from the Backseat, was released in January 2018, entering the Irish Albums Chart at number one. The album was nominated for Album of the Year at the Choice Music Prize in January 2019. Their second studio album, Sitting Pretty, was released on 10 February 2023 and entered the official Irish Albums Chart at number one.
History
= Formation and early years (2015–present) =
The Academic were formed, when Fitzgerald, Gavin and the Murtagh brothers were all attending St Joseph's Secondary School, Rochfortbridge.{{Cite web |date=5 May 2020 |title=The Academic sign with Capitol Records |url=https://www.westmeathexaminer.ie/2020/05/05/the-academic-sign-with-capitol-records/ |access-date=4 June 2020 |website=Westmeath Examiner |language=en-US}}
Such was the reaction to the release of their debut EP, Loose Friends, in October 2015, that the band sold out their first show at Dublin venue Vicar Street.
In January 2016, the band were selected by RTÉ 2FM to represent Ireland at Eurosonic Noorderslag in Groningen, which resulted in numerous festival bookings and extensive radio airplay across Europe that year.
= ''Tales from the Backseat'' (2017–2019) =
The band garnered further media interest in July 2017 with the release of "Bear Claws", an anthemic track which was likened in style to The Strokes.{{Cite web |last=O'Connor |first=Roisin |date=6 September 2017 |title=New music to listen to this week: The Academic |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/features/the-academic-bear-claws-video-premiere-now-hear-this-album-tour-dates-tickets-a7931776.html |access-date=8 November 2017 |website=The Independent}}{{Cite web |last=Rossignol |first=Derrick |date=6 July 2017 |title=Premiere: The Academic's 'Bear Claws' Is Anthemic With An Indie Edge |url=http://uproxx.com/music/the-academic-bear-claws-premiere/ |access-date=8 November 2017 |website=Uproxx}}{{Cite web |last=Murray |first=Robin |date=7 July 2017 |title=Premiere: The Academic – 'Bear Claws' |url=http://clashmusic.com/news/premiere-the-academic-bear-claws |access-date=8 November 2017 |website=Clash}} The track received further attention after the premiere of their first-of-a-kind and world's first live looper music video. The video, which was performed live on a Facebook video stream, utilized the delay in the stream to create a musical loop, to which they gradually added vocals and instruments. It was a viral hit and reached over 1 million views on YouTube in 48 hours.{{Cite web |last=Koerber |first=Brian |date=10 October 2017 |title=Here's how a band used Facebook Live's delay to create a one-of-a-kind song |url=http://mashable.com/2017/10/10/the-academic-facebook-live-delay-explainer/ |access-date=8 November 2017 |website=Mashable}}
The band announced on 26 October 2017 that their debut LP, Tales from the Backseat, would be released on 12 January 2018.{{Cite tweet |number=923601625029206016 |user=TheAcademic |title=ALBUM ANNOUNCEMENT |author=The Academic |date=26 October 2017 |access-date=8 November 2017}} The album was released to critical acclaim, entering the Irish Albums Chart at number one.{{Cite web |title=Top 100 Artist Album, Week Ending 19 January 2018 |url=http://www.officialcharts.com/charts/irish-albums-chart/20180119/ie7502/ |access-date=20 January 2018 |publisher=Official Charts Company}}{{Cite web |title=IRMA – Irish Charts |url=http://irma.ie/index.cfm?page=irish-charts&chart=Albums |access-date=20 January 2018 |publisher=Irish Recorded Music Association}}
Their biggest headline show to date took place at the Iveagh Gardens, Dublin, on 20 July 2018, before they embarked upon a US, European, UK and Ireland tour for the autumn of 2018.{{Cite news |last=Dolan |first=Tim |date=18 December 2017 |title=The Academic announce 2018 US tour |url=https://www.axs.com/the-academic-announce-2018-us-tour-126552 |access-date=4 June 2020 |work=AXS.com |language=en-US}}
The album was nominated for Album of the Year at the Choice Music Prize in January 2019.{{Cite web |title=2018 Shortlist |url=http://www.choicemusicprize.ie/2018-shortlist/ |access-date=31 March 2020 |website=Choice Music Prize|publisher=Raidió Teilifís Éireann}}
= Signing to Capitol and ''Sitting Pretty'' (2020–present) =
The band signed to Capitol Records in May 2020. They released their second album, Sitting Pretty, on 10 February 2023.{{Cite web |last=Schube |first=Will |date=10 February 2023 |title=The Academic Releases New Album Sitting Pretty |url=https://www.udiscovermusic.com/news/the-academic-releases-new-album-sitting-pretty/ |access-date=18 February 2023 |website=uDiscoverMusic}} It debuted atop the Irish Albums Chart on 17 February 2023.
Upon finishing their U.S. headliner tour to promote the album, The Academic were one of the openers for English singer-songwriter Louis Tomlinson on the North America leg of his Faith in the Future World Tour.{{Cite web |last=Bright |first=Kenzie |date=28 April 2023 |title=Meet the openers for Louis Tomlinson's US Tour |url=https://www.theindiescene.co.uk/news/louis-tomlinson-openers |access-date=27 July 2023 |website=The Indie Scene}} In April 2023, they were among several local acts invited as guest performers for Joe Biden's stop in Ballina on the night of the 15th as part of his presidential trip in his ancestral land of County Mayo.{{cite news |title=Musical acts announced for President Biden's visit to Mayo |url=https://www.con-telegraph.ie/2023/04/11/musical-acts-announced-for-president-bidens-visit-to-mayo/ |work=The Connaught Telegraph |date=11 April 2023}}{{page needed|date=August 2024}}{{cite news |last1=Neeson |first1=Conor |title=Joe Biden in Ireland: President says Mayo is 'part of my soul' |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-65270569 |work=BBC News |publisher=BBC |date=15 April 2023}}
Artistry
According to a 2018 interview with The Irish Independent, The Academic were inspired by 2000s retro-rock, The Strokes being an "especially formative influence".{{Cite journal |last=Meagher |first=John |date=6 January 2018 |title='I wouldn't say we're cocky... just confident' |url=https://www.independent.ie/entertainment/music/i-wouldnt-say-were-cocky-just-confident/36460156.html |access-date=14 November 2023 |journal=The Independent}} They also listened to Yeah Yeah Yeahs and Vampire Weekend for their first album, and then Talking Heads, New Order, and Elvis Costello for their second album.{{Cite web |last=Cannon |first=Eoghan |title=We chat to The Academic about their new EP and being obsessed with Nicolas Cage |url=https://entertainment.ie/music/the-academic-interview-irish-band-458034/ |access-date=14 November 2023 |website=Entertainment.ie|date=15 July 2020 }}
Members
- Craig Fitzgerald – lead vocals, guitar
- Matthew Murtagh – guitar, backing vocals
- Stephen Murtagh – bass, backing vocals
- Dean Gavin – drums, backing vocals
Discography
= Albums =
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
|+ List of albums, with selected details and peak chart positions !scope="col" rowspan="2"|Title !scope="col" rowspan="2"|Album details !scope="col" colspan="1"|Peak chart positions |
| scope="col" style="width:3em; font-size:90%"| IRE {{Cite web |title=Discography The Academic |url=http://irish-charts.com/showinterpret.asp?interpret=The+Academic |access-date=18 February 2023 |website=irish-charts.com}} |
|---|
| scope="row"|Tales from the Backseat
|
| 1 |
| scope="row"|Sitting Pretty
|
| 1 |
= Extended plays =
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
|+ List of EPs, with selected details and peak chart positions !scope="col" rowspan="2"|Title !scope="col" rowspan="2"|EP details !scope="col" colspan="1"|Peak chart positions |
| scope="col" style="width:3em; font-size:90%"| IRE |
|---|
| scope="row"|Loose Friends
|
| — |
| scope="row"|Acting My Age
|
| 6 |
| scope="row"|Community Spirit
|
| — |
= Singles =
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
|+ List of singles, with selected chart positions ! scope="col" rowspan="2"| Title ! scope="col" rowspan="2"| Year ! scope="col" colspan="1"| Peak chart positions ! scope="col" rowspan="2"| Album |
| scope="col" style="width:3em; font-size:90%"| IRE |
|---|
| scope="row"| "Girlfriends"
| 2013 | — | {{Non-album single}} |
| scope="row"| "Different"
| rowspan="2"| 2015 | 67 | rowspan="2"| Loose Friends EP |
| scope="row"| "Northern Boy"
| — |
| scope="row"| "Mixtape 2003"
| 2016 | — | {{Non-album single}} |
| scope="row"| "Bear Claws"
| rowspan="5" |2017 | — | rowspan="5" |Tales from the Backseat |
| scope="row"|"Permanent Vacation"
| — |
| scope="row"|"Why Can't We Be Friends?"
| — |
| scope="row"|"Bite My Tongue"
| — |
| scope="row"|"Fake ID"
| — |
| scope="row"|"Superlike"
| rowspan="2" | 2019 | — | rowspan="2" {{Non-album singles}} |
| scope="row"|"Aftertaste"
| — |
| scope="row"| "Anything Could Happen"
| 2020 | — | Acting My Age EP |
| scope="row"| "Kids (Don't End Up Like Me)"
| rowspan="2" | 2021 | — | rowspan="2"| Community Spirit EP |
| scope="row"| "Not Your Summer"
| — |
| scope="row"| "Don't Take It Personally"
| rowspan="3" | 2022 | — | rowspan="4" | Sitting Pretty |
| scope="row"| "Pushing Up Daisies"
| — |
| scope="row"| "Homesick"
| — |
| scope="row"|"My Very Best"
| 2023 | — |
| scope="row"| "Easy on the Eyes"
| 2024 | — | {{Non-album single}} |
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{official website}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Academic, The}}
Category:2013 establishments in Ireland
Category:Downtown Records artists
Category:Irish indie rock groups