The band's lead singer, Jonathan Clancy, originally hails from Canada, and given their sound -- nocturnal, reverb-slicked, brimming with Clancy's melodramatic croon -- their influences could easily include Brit-pop/indie pop acts like the Wedding Present, the Field Mice, and the Smiths. Clancy teamed up with Luca Mazzieri and Paul Pieretto to form the band in the early 2000s; soon after A Classic Education formed, the lineup expanded to include Giulia Mazza, Federico Oppi, and Stefano Roveda. The band released a couple discs within the first few years of its existence: a self-titled EP distributed by Rough Trade and the Best Regards/Rest 7", which was released on Balliwick Recordings in 2009. A Classic Education's profile enjoyed a hefty boost following a number of choice gigs during their first U.S. tour in 2009, including appearances at CMJ and SXSW. Their next single, What I Could Have Been/Toi, was released online via the Maryland indie pop label Holiday Records in the wake of their U.S. appearances. A Classic Education's debut mini-album, Hey There Stranger, was released on Lefse Records in 2010. They followed it up in October of the next year with their first full-length, Call It Blazing. ~ Margaret Reges