Following 'Change Up', New Academics have released their fifth single 'Off the Rails' — the final single from their SAMA-nominated debut album 'City of Strange'.

'Change Up' charted well on local campus radio and received airplay on national and community stations, while the accompanying music video charted on the SA Top 10 on DStv's MK music channel.

The band hope to continue that success with the new single.

"'Off the Rails' is a testament to the unfolding of time and the different ways in which people react to challenging situations," offered band vocalist Joe Penn.

"The lyrics to the song were originally written both in mournful anger as a response to being let down by a lifelong friend, as well as to stand as a retrospective on the passage of life and the unfolding of time."

The lifelong friend in question was the group's original drummer, who abandoned New Academics in Johannesburg when his job offered to move him back to Cape Town.

"At the time, my naïve anger provided me with some fuel for the main theme of the song — although life experience has since shown me that it is crucial that people be free to choose their own life paths," said Penn.

"Amusingly, though, we played the song live with him several times before his actual departure — and I’m not sure whether he ever knew that the chorus lyric was directed at him or not."

The New Academics will be recording their second album from March 2008 and will release their first single off the album in May 2008 with the official album launch taking place around the country in June and July.