The charismatic former frontman of The Academy Is.. proved to be exactly the opposite of what we thought he would be when we spoke to him back in May of 2012 . A tall lanky gent with movie star looks you would expect to be arrogant, his stage persona one of childlike playfulness and happy banter but face to face in a closed club he was more timid, more reserved more nervous in demeanor. It was this revelation that made Beckett a more interesting character.
What goes on in the head of someone who is stuck in a genre where your fans keep getting to old and too barraged with bands with more flash and more backing? Where does someone like Beckett fit?
He fits perfectly into the acoustic "The Pioneer Sessions". A 12 song offering showcasing Williams vocals that at times strain so hard you as the listener will nearly wince. The guitar strong and solitary is the perfect compliment to the almost boyish sound and lyric the sessions produce.
This is nearly an 'Unplugged' or 'Storytellers' type production. Don't get me wrong there are a couple of outright dogs on this thing. "Never Give Up', made me want to whip my speaker across the room. No one likes a sappy baby unless your 14. Luckily it is followed up with the fabulous "Great Night", whose chorus is a bit weak but each stanza makes you forget momentarily how lame that was. "Girl You Should Have Been A Drummer" done in acoustic is amazingly fun and although this can be muddled up with that God awful Never Shout Never band of noise its not, because despite the simplicity there is maturity in its presentation.
Dont expect bubble gum pop here. Expect is stripped down with nothing to shield Beckett but the scuffing of guitar. He can hold his own but this will not send him in to the Top 40, or the Top 100 for that matter. This will get his fans back on board and tide them over until a greater more layered production is created. His star clock is ticking, c'mon William you can do it!
I love that he is not cashing in on his appearance and has not given up. I ask that you not give up either. The Pioneer Sessions are a nice starting point if you're not familiar with his work and I can almost guarantee you'll venture back into his catalog. Oh but please skip the tune "Dig A Hole' unless you want to bury it in one. But please listen to everything else with ears wide open. We have a winner.
Grade B+