With new post-punk revival bands sprouting up seemingly every time Kobe Bryant takes a jump shot, it has become increasingly difficult for any newcomer to differentiate itself from the pack. Such is the case with indie rock's latest flavor of the week, Brooklyn's We Are Scientists.
Clearly a member of the style-over-substance school, We Are Scientists has more than enough hooks to hang all of their sport coats on, as well as literary references that will make every fifteen-year-old feel at home.
The problem with We Are Scientists is that they lack any particularly distinctive qualities. While a band like Franz Ferdinand may wear their Gang of Four and XTC influences on their rolled-up sleeves, they are still able to carry a distinctive tune, something that We Are Scientists fail to do on their debut LP, "With Love and Squalor." We Are Scientists sound like an amalgamation of many of its more famous peers, in particular The Killers and tour mates Hot Hot Heat.
The band is led by singer/guitarist Keith Murray, whose unruffled voice and air of confidence are certainly assets. Murray isn't quite Jarvis Cocker of Pulp, but he doesn't sound as creepy as Brendan Flowers of The Killers, either. Murray's charm helps mask a certain degree of cheesiness to his lyrics ("My body is your body / I won't tell anybody / If you want to use my body, go for it"), even though his lack of variety begins to wears on listeners as the album goes on.
And while his lyrics aren't anything to write home about, Murray does manage to fill "With Love and Squalor" with infectious (albeit fairly repetitious) guitar riffs from start to finish. The band's other two members aren't half bad either: Drummer and live-favorite Michael Tapper rattles off sixteenth notes with precision and ease, and bass player Chris Cain helps make the album considerably dancier. But while the rhythm section does drive a few songs, namely "Inaction," "With Love and Squalor" is first and foremost a guitar-based record.
The frustrating thing about "With Love and Squalor" is that while every song feels like it could be a potential single, each with a conventional hook and chorus, there aren't any particularly stand-out tracks on the record. The US single "Nobody Move, Nobody Get Hurt" sounds like a Killers track, and not a particularly catchy one at that.
As fun as it can be to play "spot the influence" with today's bands, the game loses much of its appeal when the influences named are mostly bands that are only two or three years old. This is a shame, especially since We Are Scientists have a more charismatic frontman and more competent musicians than a large chunk of their peers.
What We Are Scientists don't have in their repertoire is a hit single, something which is imperative in order to stand out in the competitive neo-post-punk crowd. Songs like "Cash Cow" and "The Great Escape" have a nice groove to them, but don't stick after the first few listens. Unfortunately, "With Love and Squalor" does little to warrant more than just a few listens.
As fun and enjoyable as the album can be at times, it is far too formulaic to have much staying power. It is easy to see a large degree of potential in the band, which developed a dedicated NYC fanbase through its good reputation for live shows, but unless the band becomes more adventurous with its music they will be remembered more for their silly name then for the music they play.
