Friday on my way home from the Doctor's office, after being told I didn't have Mono, I popped in The Academy is... Almost Here somewhere between the off-ramp and my apartment it occurred to me that this CD is almost too good. Seriously. And, the brilliance of it all starts with track one, Attention, Attention. William Beckett's beautiful voice asks, "Attention, Attention may I have all your eyes and ears to the front of the room if only...for one second..." and, I have trouble imagining that, at least when he's singing, that this young man has any trouble keeping anyone's attention. This is one of those great, unrequited love songs and its in that wonderful, "there are forward and aft exits in addition to the two wing exits in case of an emergency" format. Beautiful. Who hasn't been there? Hey! Attention! Oh, and by the way, "did I mention that when I see you it stings like hell due to the fact that we could have something that'll never happen?" Now, that's faith in yourself.

This CD is smooth and melodic filled with poppy, earnest guitar riffs and clever writing of the sort that lets you know with every note and every word that these gentlemen love what they do, and they don't really care if you do, they're going to do it anyway. In fact, in Track 5, Black Mamba they even tell you, "This was the voice that I was given and if you odn't life it take a long walk off the shortest pier you can find." Its amazing. Put away the Gwen, back away from that new crap the Backstreet Boys just put out. This is real music, put together by serious musicians. Yes.