A Classic Education

"Classic" is right. The second EP by this unlikely and far-flung alliance between Canadian singer-songwriter Jonathan Clancy and five Italian backup players is the sharpest slice of powerfully amped-up pop rock this side of New Pornographers, with six tracks that pass by in a brisk and highly agreeable 17 minutes. Brief though it is, Hey There Stranger has a lot going on -- twangy ambience, spaced-out string arrangements, jingle-jangle guitars (and mandolin), plus songs so sturdy you'd swear you've heard 'em before. You haven't, but you will. - Spin Magazine

A Classic Education’s co-ordinates are scattered across Europe and Canada. Language barriers and thousands of miles tried to get in the way of the band committing themselves to a debut EP, but lo and behold, here arrives Hey There Stranger, a bold announcement from the part-Italian, part-Canadian six piece.

Jonathan Clancy (aka dream-pop purveyor His Clancyness) heads the troupe, helping muster up a sound that pits itself further from the band’s home, adapting little from Italy or Canada and coming across more like it was recorded on the East Coast of America; road trips and surfboards. You might have one eye on the “back a page” button after reading that but be aware: A Classic Education separate themselves nicely from the crop of lo-fi by numbers that’s storming the same area. These songs aren’t indebted to beach pop, chillwave or fuzzy punk, they’re beautifully written, uplifting pop songs – more akin to The Shins and Grizzly Bear than every buzz artist with a similar ethos.

The centrepiece within this near-flawless six pack, ‘What My Life Could Have Been’, is overwhelming. A joyous blend of quick-witted chords and emotional, grand guitar riffs, it goes by in a flash but could retain your attention for another ten minutes. The sedated wooziness of ‘Devilish Coast Sway’ and the Hawaii-located ‘Toi’ are similarly entrancing, carefully contrasting to the downhearted furore of ‘I Lost Time’, Clancy spelling out every single one of his shortcomings, near-whimpering the words; “Nothing I have can be saved”.

Clancy’s experience is perhaps a factor in helping this EP present itself as something so accomplished. Within the space of six, well-layered songs they show a wealth of musical skills, with classy, sharp production endeavouring to honour a desire to resonate as both euphoric and morose.

Opener ‘Gone To Sea’ pits Clancy right up against the wall with James Mercer (of The Shins/Broken Bells fame) comparisons, his voice re-creating the quick, jagged delivery of his counterpart. But the rest of the EP delivers an abundance of different qualities; bringing forth a more intelligent edge to beach-pop and being careful to distance itself from that very genre. You’re unlikely to find a more polished introduction to a band than Hey There Stranger- if a debut album can carry even half the substance, melodies and brains of this first work, it’ll come close to being a modern day, you guessed it, classic. - The Line Of Best Fit

http://www.gorillavsbear.net/2010/08/27/video-a-classic-education-gone-to-sea/ - Gorilla Vs Bear

Last week we had His Clancyness, the solo project from Bologna-dwelling Canadian Jonathan Clancy. Now it’s the turn of his band A Classic Education. Well, it’s really just Jonathan answering my seven songs questions, but he’s doing it with his Classic Education hat on, rather than any of his many others.
So click on ‘more’ for seven songs and plenty other stuff, including band theme songs, Bill Callahan’s album openers, recording with Jeremy Warmsley and the benefits of finding stuff on this blog.
1. A song that’s been in your head today
I’ve had four songs going around my head like mad in the last three days. One is Future Primitive by Papercuts, another is Spanish Harlem done by Phil Spector on guitar and voice, then this El Perro Del Mar song called I Can’t Talk About It. Wow… hold on… this is crazy… I was actually so into the Papercuts… that I started looking up for interviews and I guess I stumbled across your feature where he mentioned that song. It’s such a simple and strong song! Oh, and I’ve been listening to the first track from the new Bill Callahan record on repeat. He has this thing for nailing album openers.
2. A song you currently love playing live
I think we currently love playing our cover of Toi, the old Gilbert Becaud song. It’s fresh for us and kind of different. Plus we played in for the first time in New York and it’s kind of become a memory of our great time together in the USA and at SXSW. Like a band theme song or something like that.
3. Shuffle your ipod – what’s the first song that comes up?
Mmmm let’s see… Summertime Clothes by Animal Collective. I actually don’t own an ipod but a really simple mp3 player that I record things with… so it doesn’t have a big memory and I often change the albums on it.
4. A song you wish you had written
That’s that by Cass Mccombs. He is so so so good.
5. Your current guiltiest pleasure
I just heard the U2 remixed by Justice..does that count? It’s pretty good.
6. A song off an album you’re currently enjoying
Love Like A Sunset on the new Phoenix.
7. Tell us something about a track from your new record
Well our next release is a 7? coming out Bailiwick. The single is called Best Regards and we’ve been playing it live for quite a while…I really love it, it’s also changed a bit since we first put it down. Jeremy Warmsley is a good buddy and actually recorded it with us. It’s the story of a couple at the beginning of the past century. They’re theatre actors, not particularly good ones but yeah they cheat their way up to the top and everything starts crumbling around them….
mp3: A Classic Education - Toi
A Classic Education myspace / website
Best Regards is available to order now from the Bailiwick Records myspace. Listen to it at the Bailiwick site or the ACE myspace. - The Daily Growl

Italy's A Classic Education coming to NYC, SXSW (MP3, dates)

by Bill Pearis

DOWNLOAD: A Classic Education - We Can Always Run to Hawaii (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: A Classic Education - Stay Son (MP3)

Classic Education

Italy is known for a lot of things: food, wine, shoes, sports cars, cinema. Indie rock? Not so much, but A Classic Education are hoping change that perception. Hailing from Bologna (home of tagliatelle, ragu bolognese, Lamborghini and Maserati), have been together for about two years and have played with the likes of the Arcade Fire, Modest Mouse, Fanfarlo, Lightspeed Champion, Jeremy Warmsley, and Los Campesinos! They're about to make their first trip to America, with two three stops in New York (Death by Audio on 3/13 and Cake Shop on 3/14 and Fontana's on 3/15) before heading to SXSW.

While their debut EP from last year owes a lot to '90s American indie (singer Jonathan Clancy, originally from Canada, sounds a little like Built to Spill's Doug Martsch), they've expanded from a trio to a six-piece (including strings and keyboards) that ups the sweeping romanticism factor quite a bit. There are no shortage of YouTube clips of the band, most of which make them look to be a band worth going to see. - Brooklyn Vegan

A Classic Education - one of my definite, absolute favourite new bands right now - have finally released their first ep, which they've apparently called First EP. It's really something amazing, dark and moving, epic and human at the same time. It reminds me of both Arcade Fire and the National, and I like it so much that I really don't mind giving it such big shoes to stand in.
So, allow me to post this fine song once more, and think very very hard about how good this band are.

A Classic Education - Badlands & Owls

You can buy this on fancy 12" vinyl (with the fine artwork seen above) here. - The Torture Garden

http://www.spin.com/gallery/9-unknown-bands-watch-sxsw?page=5 - SPIN

http://www.brooklynvegan.com/archives/2010/03/a_classic_educa_1.html - Brooklyn Vegan

http://www.spin.com/gallery/spins-50-must-hear-bands-sxsw?page=40#main - SPIN

http://www.spin.com/gallery/spins-50-must-hear-bands-sxsw?page=40#main - Spin Magazine

http://www.brooklynvegan.com/archives/2010/03/a_classic_educa_1.html - Brooklyn Vegan