Review: Bear Claws by the Academic
By Sophie Minello
My heart has never jumped more than it did when Irish band, The Academic, announced the release of their new song Bear Claws.
To give you some background on Bear Claws, this song has been with through many turns in my life. The demo version was released in 2013 and somehow has ended up featured in a plethora of my playlists since then, even as my music taste changed and grew. Having such a connection with the demo version, my expectations were high for this release.
These expectations, of course, were not disappointed. The song had a new flare to it, fresh and clean, but still possessed the same qualities that had me holding on to the first version. Immediately I could hear how the band has grown overtime, which was a beautiful thing. They’ve grown into a sound that is specifically the Academic, surely not to be pushed aside as just another indie band. All the sounds weave together in the perfect notes that provoke feelings of teenage years with little worries. However, through the lyrics it seems as if the the meaning behind the words involves young heartbreak with lines such as ‘You don’t have to be cool to make me shiver / Look in my eyes can I make this any clearer / Just a late night girl calling through a phone / She never really loved you so just leave it alone’. The song shines both musically and lyrically, and feels like the perfect sound for a summer soundtrack despite the heartsick boy trying to decipher why his love would leave him. It’s the kind of song that you can play in your car with the windows down, or the kind you can listen to with your eyes closed, soaking in all the details.
The Academic have their first significant US tour dates coming up with Judah and the Lion for the Going to Mars tour. Be sure not to miss them!
