Can rock music be defined as quirky? If you’re open to the possibility of stretching the adjective or creating a new music genre, then meet We Are Scientists. And, if you want any chance at actually meeting them – you better do it quickly. It was just a few months ago that Keith Murray (guitar/lead vocals), Chris Cain (bass) and Michael Tapper (drums) were just three guys playing in yet another band. Then, that all allusive lightning bolt shot down from the sky and struck them, blowing them onto “the scene”. Next thing, they were on David Letterman’s show and now they are celebrating their major label debut With Love and Squalor.
So, is it worth an all out party to the wee hours bash? Well, “yes” and “no”. We Are Scientists rely heavily on lyrics that are almost cringe-worthy like “My body is your body / I won’t tell anybody/ If you want to use my body / Go for it”. They’re kind of like the verses you scribbled in notebooks that you thought were really dirty and hardcore at 15. However, that being said, the grooves these guys generate are so infectious that you can’t help joining the band on their tour through the land of perpetual adolescence.
“Nobody Move, Nobody Gets Hurt” sets the album in motion and introduces Murray’s spastic vocals and the band’s frantic sound and usual subject matter – partying until the room starts spinning. “I’m blacking out / But it’s fun” belts Murray on “This Scene is Dead” and you get the feeling that he’s probably singing from personal experience.
The album fades during the middle section. “Callbacks” and “Cash Cow” aren’t as developed (or delivered at the same warp speed) as some of the earlier tracks and come off feeling like filler. All in all though, these guys have so much personality that they could probably get away with murder, let alone an album that doesn’t quite live up to the hype. Expect to see We Are Scientist concocting more musical experiments in the future. |