William Academy Discography of CDs

William Academy albums The William Academy are three clean-cut looking kids from Brooklyn who, on their debut five-track EP called Five Fight Songs, play a nasty brand of synth punk that is both invigorating and frustrating. Invigorating because record's sound is exciting and bracing. Angry, angular guitars slashing away over cheesy drum machines and clunky old synths is a sound that will rarely sound bad. At times, it brings to mind a punkier New Order or a less punk Gang of Four, and that is a good thing. Frustrating because the overwrought and gravely vocals tend to ground the band's sound in dour reality a bit too much. Music as remote sounding as this shouldn't have a singer who sounds like the gravelly ghost of Shane MacGowan. Still, a band with songs as hooky (and Hook-y) as "Northern Boy," is a band that shouldn't be easily written off. If they can do something about those vocals, they could make some decent records in the future. ~ Tim Sendra The William Academy: Kevin Haus, Ebin Flow, Taryn Looney. Recording information: Beekay Lounge, Brooklyn, NY (2003).