The Academic – “Kids (Don’t end up like me)”

Never escaping your hometown or amounting to anything. The Academic have taken this angst and distilled it into a super catchy rock song ‘Kids (Don’t end up like me)’ that may catapult the band into the mainstream. With hooky vocal lines and an infectious beat, the Irish rock quartet borrows from early 2k NYC rock revival, Talking Heads and Elvis Costello and reinvents the mix for the post-Covid era. The band’s writing chops have improved since being courted in 2018 by major record labels on both sides of the Atlantic and this song’s ironic lyrics and bullet-proof choruses definitely showcase a band coming of age. They’re quickly becoming festival favourites and will be reembarking on their upward trajectory at Reading Festival this August. Get your tents ready.