Chicago pop-punk favorites The Academy Is… share “L Train,” the final single from their long-awaited album ‘Almost There’. The record arrives March 27, 2026 via I Surrender Records and marks the group’s first studio album in more than 18 years. Driving rhythms and shimmering guitars carry the song forward as William Beckett’s vocals glide through a late-night Chicago atmosphere.
“‘L Train’ is a song about those nights where you’re stuck in your own head; alone in a crowded room, surrounded by social ghosts,” the group explains. “The song is dreamy, but there’s a haunting, nervous energy running through it. It’s our lens into a midwest mind trip where you’re replaying memories over and over…”
The album follows earlier singles including the urgent lead track “2005” and the reflective “Miracle.” ‘Almost There’ builds across 11 songs that reconnect with the emotional intensity that shaped the group’s early years while expanding their songwriting approach. The sound blends bright pop-punk urgency with layered arrangements and reflective moments.
“‘Almost Here was the beginning. Almost There is the reflection,'” Beckett says. “‘It’s about checking in with who you thought you’d be twenty years later, seeing what changed, what stuck, and what still feels like home.'”
The band continues celebrating its return on the “Almost Here 20th Anniversary Tour,” which launched with powerful shows centered around the songs that defined the mid-2000s era. Demand has surged across markets as audiences reconnect with the music while embracing the group’s new chapter.
2026 Tour Dates:
APRIL
10 – Buffalo, NY – Town Ballroom
11 – Toronto, ON – Danforth Music Hall
15 – Atlanta, GA – Buckhead Theatre
16 – Nashville, TN – Brooklyn Bowl Nashville
18 – Tampa, FL – The Ritz Ybor
19 – Orlando, FL – House of Blues Orlando
24 – Austin, TX – Emo’s
25 – Dallas, TX – The Echo
26 – Houston, TX – House of Blues Houston
MAY
1 – Portland, OR – Roseland Theater
2 – Seattle, WA – Showbox at The Market
7 – Sacramento, CA – Ace of Spades
8 – Berkeley, CA – The UC Theatre
9 – San Diego, CA – The Observatory North Park
23 – Mexico City, MX – Pabellón del Palacio de los Deportes
JUNE
13-14 – Washington, DC – Festival Grounds at RFK Campus †
JULY
25-26 – Long Beach, CA – Shoreline Waterfront †
† – Warped Tour