The recent influx of generic pop/rock bands has flooded the radio, record stores and clubs. But rarely do these bands deserve the recognition they receive. The Chicago-based band The Academy Is… is a wonderful exception.

Set for release Feb. 8, their debut album Almost Here (Fueled by Ramen Records) demands your attention from the first instant, bringing together the band’s love of pop and rock in unique compositions with catchy, yet poignant lyrics.

“It’s not real cut-and-dry or superficial. It’s just raw and very, very honest,” lead singer William Bennett said.

The Academy Is… began with Bennett and Mike Carden (guitar), who were once in rival Chicago-area bands. Once separated from these bands, the two found themselves with more in common. Adding Adam Siska (bass), Tom Conrad (guitar) and Andy Mrotek (drums), the band was finally complete.

“You can dance and you can sing our songs, but you have to think about what we’re saying,” Bennett said.

Listing Pink Floyd, U2, and Simon and Garfunkel as influences, Bennett and TAI like to write “songs that are easy to swallow, but at the same time something that can be interpreted in different ways.”

The album’s nine tracks hash out the trials and tribulations of making a record. Almost Here is a rollercoaster of energetic and enthusiastic pop/rock songs. The opening track “Attention” grabs just that. Bennett’s smooth voice perfectly complements the peppy track while setting the tone for the rest of the album. The more serious track “Season” imparts on the audience Bennett and Co.’s ambitions with their first album: “To write the hits and to turn their heads, and to open eyes to a brand new season.”

Without an album on sale or radio tracks, TAI has had to rely on their vibrant live shows. In the past year, they gained respect touring nationally with numerous big acts. In April, they’ll return with label mates on the Fueled by Ramen & Friends Tour.

The Academy Is… opens for Something Corporate tonight at the 9:30 Club, 815 V St. NW. The show is sold out.