Pages tagged “we are scientists”

Their new wave crown turned slightly askew, We Are Scientists have returned with their airwaves-ready sophomore album Brain Thrust Mastery. Seemingly unaffected by the loss of drummer Michael Tapper, the dapper duo leaves dregs of the off-beat drum and bass assaults from their danceable debut With Love and Squalor on their latest effort, yielding an odd taste of Top 40 potential.

Mastery, which was already officially released in three continents before its stateside release, opens with a promising TV on the Radio pulse that ebbs and disintegrates into the album’s oscillation between bittersweet gems, darker retro crawls and Hall & Oates flirtations. “Time means nothing / Say that you’ll stay,” guitarist Keith Murray pleads on the album's standout track, “After Hours.”

As “Impatience” squeaks by like the first cousin once removed of Brian Eno’s “Needle in the Camel’s Eye,” and the pop-rockiness becomes almost unbearable, your fingers might pull a subconscious Ouija hover over the “skip” button. But click they won’t. The Brooklyn band’s innate charm and accessibility allows forgiveness of its near-abandonment of bass-driven new wave. While a lullaby like “Spoken For” will spur rollicking crowds to take a text-message break, the last-minute swells of “Chick Lit” and a smooth-jazz finale round out a bubbly stew of pardonable radio-friendly tracks.

Hometown: Brooklyn, N.Y.
Fun Fact: We Are Scientists' logo was inspired by an old copy of Madame Bovary that was lying around during the making of the band's debut, With Love and Squalor.
Why They’re Worth Watching: Hilarity aside, their oscillation between retro and bass-driven songs make even the heaviest feet want to challenge someone to a dance-off.
For Fans Of: Arctic Monkeys, Maximo Park, Kaiser Chiefs

Brooklyn new wavers and funny bone tinglers We Are Scientists debuted the video for their first single "After Hours" in the UK this weekend. Watch the boys fuss over their dates, one of the not-Tina-Fey gals from 30 Rock and a cute pup, over at NME.

Their sophomore album, Brain Thrust Mastery, is out March 17 in the UK. Drummer Michael Tapper, who helped form the group, appears to be missing from the dapper duo's videos and photos with no word about it.

But missing member and hefty sums we'll be shelling out for the import aside, at least their shows page indicates they'll be touring "all spring, summer, fall, and then if we like it we'll keep going."

Visit the band's official site (linked below) for more sketch videos and sweet collared shirt and sweater combinations.

Related links:
WeAreScientists.com
We Are Scientists on MySpace
We Are Scientists on AllMusic.com

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The members of indie rock band We Are Scientists are allowing fans to take a behind-the-scenes look into their lives via an interactive, online blog.

Imeem, a peer-to-peer social network, has joined forces with Virgin Records to create the very first concert tour video blog. The website features photos and videos shot by the Brooklyn trio during their most recent tour gig alongside the Arctic Monkeys.

Fans can interact with one another by posting their own blog messages as well as photos and videos taken from the tour, which ran May 26 through June 17.

For more information, click here.