Fast Times at Barrington High (2008)

THE ACADEMY IS... The poppy emo-like tracks on Fast Times at Barrington High will surely keep you from sulking

This Illinois quartet's name may mysteriously trail off, but one thing's for sure: The Academy Is...Loves...Girls. Much like their labelmates Fall Out Boy and Panic at the Disco the band adheres to the poppier, more anthemic end of the emo spectrum, and eschews the genre's poor-me platitudes for good times — specifically, the kind that you can have with the opposite sex. Songs like ''About a Girl'' and ''Coppertone'' are sunny, jangling, and easily melodic — ideal dog-days-of-summer distractions. B+
DOWNLOAD THIS: Listen to ''About a Girl'' on the band's MySpace page