The Academic’s “Sitting Pretty” is a Raw, Emotional Soundtrack to Your 20s
Hailing from Mullingar, Ireland, Irish indie rock band The Academic consist of members Craig Fitzgerald, Dean Gavin, and brothers Matthew and Stephen Murtagh.
Their first album Tales from the Backseat, released in January 2018, quickly became a number 1 hit in Ireland. Now the band has released their second studio album, Sitting Pretty.
For fans who have grown with the band since their first album, you can expect Sitting Pretty to be lively and back to their roots. Listeners can expect a mature, more reassured sound. The Academic wants listeners to hear it and feel what it's like growing up in your 20s.
“It's all about being a little bit older checking in with yourself, and I supposed checking in with yourself more if you're feeling bad about your situation,” said Matthew Murtagh. “We're all going through the same thing at a different time or at the same time.”
“Homesick” - the sad bop the band believes best captures the album's theme - is one of the most vulnerable and heartfelt songs they have released.
But for new fans who are just now being introduced to the band, these are the three songs The Academic says captures their range:
1. “My Very Best”- the emotional epicenter
2. “What's Wrong With Me” - the energetic one
3. “Buying Smokes”- the slightly weirder side of the band
BONUS: “Rain” - the most exposed in terms of music, a ballad, a strong place in the album
The quartet has experienced a lot of changes and growth since the release of their first album five years ago. It was during this five-year period they were able to release 2 EPs, Acting My Age and Community Spirit, one of which was produced by member Craig Fitzgerald. These EPs allowed them to experiment with their sound.
During this time and through the pandemic, when they weren't just four guys playing FIFA 14 in the studio, they began working on Sitting Pretty. The band saw this time as an opportunity to change the creative process and how they made music.
They knew they wanted to create a mature, and honest sound for the album. They wanted to open up more and expose themselves to their fans thus leading them to the themes we hear in Sitting Pretty.
Another experience that changed was how The Academic shared new music. They went from playing and testing new music live at shows to now creating batches of songs never before played in front of an audience. The band began to open up more and take risks in their music without knowing how the audience would react.
“I would say musically just in comparison to the first one, this album sounds more like a band in a room,” said Matthew Murtagh. “You can hear every instrument very clearly, it just sounds like a rock and roll band playing in a room”.
Whether it's opening for Pixies or being nominated for album of the year at Choice Music Prize as a young independent band, they have achieved wild success but still want to stay true to themselves.
“At the heart of it, take away the music and everything, we're 4 best friends who grew up together and we have a kind of very open way of being with each other,” said Craig Fitzgerald.“And that's something we’re always practicing, being honest and open with each other.”
As they reminisce on their early days at The Lane Nightclub in Mullingar to now preparing for their US and Canadian tour in April they are excited to visit cities like Vancouver and Seattle.
For them, the album is a heartfelt thank you to fans for their support that has allowed them to keep making music and touring to share it with others.
Check out Sitting Pretty this February.