Almost There (The Academy Is... album)
| Almost There | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | March 27, 2026 | |||
| Recorded | 2024–2025 | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 36:03 | |||
| Label | I Surrender Records | |||
| Producer | Snow Ellet | |||
| The Academy Is... chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Singles from Almost There | ||||
Almost There is the fourth studio album from rock band the Academy Is.... The band's first album in 18 years, it was released on March 27, 2026 through I Surrender Records.
Background and recording
Following the band's breakup in 2011, the band reunited once in 2015 to play their album Almost Here cover-to-cover at Riot Fest. The band fully reunited in 2022 where they, again announced they would play at Riot Fest and indicated their reunion would be a return to full-time playing. Throughout 2022 and 2023, the band began playing at various music festivals and opening for various music acts including Fall Out Boy and Andrew McMahon.[4]
In late 2025, the band embarked on a tour to celebrate the 20th anniversary of their debut album, Almost Here. During the tour, they announced they would be releasing a new album in 2026, and debuted new songs to concertgoers.[5]
Critical reception
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| Indy Review | [6] |
| New Noise | [7] |
Upon release, Almost There was well-received by contemporary music critics. Writing for New Noise, Kayla Moreno gave the album a perfect five stars out of five saying "Almost There is the best-case scenario for a reunited band. It acknowledges their past without repeating it, alluding to a much brighter future. Of course, growth is not like coasting down a highway; it’s more like cascading down a hillside and hoping to land on solid ground. Thankfully, The Academy Is… have done just that. They’re not back to perform caricatures of their former selves. Instead, The Academy Is… shows us who they have become while we were all apart."[7]
Writing for Indy Review, David M Rangel said the album is a "more controlled, confident instrumentation" compared to the band's previous works.[6] Rangel further said that the band has "presented a record that captures all the best aspects of a certain time in music, without sounding stale or dated. Their style of shimmering pop will likely appeal to mainstream radio listeners, as well as lovers of off-the-beaten-path indie music."[6]
Track listing
All tracks are written by William Beckett and Mike Carden; "Freak Out" written with David Pramik and Jamie Sherman.
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Up in the Air" | 3:20 |
| 2. | "Miracle" | 2:41 |
| 3. | "2005" | 3:52 |
| 4. | "Freak Out" | 2:48 |
| 5. | "Snow Days" | 3:34 |
| 6. | "100mph" | 3:33 |
| 7. | "Floating Through Time (Interlude)" | 1:21 |
| 8. | "L Train" | 3:42 |
| 9. | "Lost Signals" | 3:04 |
| 10. | "Lulu Boy" | 3:28 |
| 11. | "Ten Years" | 4:40 |
| Total length: | 36:03 | |
Personnel
Credits adapted from Tidal.[8]
The Academy Is...
- William Beckett – vocals
- Mike Carden – guitar
- Andy Mrotek – drums
- Adam Siska – bass
Additional contributors
- Snow Ellet – production, engineering
- Nick Rad – mixing
- Steven Servi – mixing assistance
- Mike Cervantes – mastering
References
- ^ Chambers, Tristan (January 18, 2026). "The Academy Is… Didn't Come Back — They Checked In, with "2005"". Music Scene Media. Retrieved March 29, 2026.
- ^ "Hear The Academy Is' New Single 'Miracle'". Anti Music. February 18, 2026. Retrieved March 29, 2026.
- ^ Weber, Jonathan (March 11, 2026). "The Academy Is… ride the memory of Chicago nights on 'L Train'". The Daily Music Report. Retrieved March 29, 2026.
- ^ ABC News (November 13, 2023). "Andrew McMahon announces Holiday from Real concert cruise". 105.7 The Point. Archived from the original on November 13, 2023. Retrieved December 15, 2024.
- ^ Rogers, Jack (January 14, 2026). "The Academy Is... Announce New Album 'Almost There'". Rock Sound. Retrieved March 27, 2026.
- ^ a b c Rangel, Michael (March 25, 2026). "Album Review: The Academy Is … – Almost There". The Indy Review. Retrieved March 29, 2026.
- ^ a b Moreno, Kayla (March 25, 2026). "Album Review: The Academy Is… – Almost There". New Noise Magazine. Retrieved March 29, 2026.
- ^ "Almost There / The Academy Is... / Credits". Tidal. Retrieved March 31, 2026.