Rocket science? This is not! (With Love And Squalor - We Are Scientists)

Member Name: Kepler

Product:	With Love And Squalor - We Are Scientists
Date:	23/11/07 (93 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Some great songs; catchy riffs; distinct and stand out vocals

Disadvantages: Track quality not maintained over entire album

Released in October 2005, With Love and Squalor is the debut album from New York dwelling but Californian born trio, We Are Scientists. The record is a familiar blend of indie/alt rock with a dash of punk and some undeniably catchy hooks. On first inspection you could be forgiven for dismissing this record as simply another Kaiser Chiefs or Hard-Fi rehash but given time this is an album that reveals many treats and surprises. Like a fine wine left to age, With Love and Squalor, is an album that seems to get better with each passing month. That is not to say that its influences aren't obvious, it is easy to see The Killers, Editors, Franz Ferdinand et al in this record, but the important thing is that they never reuse or regurgitate, rather they borrow and refine, improving on past efforts and producing some songs of very high quality. The Scientists' pluck themes and ideas from everyday life and using their own style of acerbic wit they mould their songs into catchy 3-4 minute stories with a blend of great lyrics and catchy riffs.

The first track, 'Nobody Move Nobody Get Hurt', is an excellent opener for the album, starting with a repetitive but ultimately catchy riff, the drums and bass join in quickly to provide a solid grounding for Keith Murray's doleful lyrics. The vocals on this record are a case of personal preference. Some people have levelled the accusation that Murray's vocals are too mournful and self pitying but I think they set the music off perfectly, adding a trace of woe against the backdrop of the often bright and energetic music, which provides an interesting and absorbing contrast. The result on the first track is an excellent three minute rock song, which sets the standard for the songs to come and rarely do the band eclipse the subtlety and simple pleasures afforded by this great track. Up next is the soulful 'The Scene Is Dead', which has a slightly forlorn feel, and this time the music seems to mirror Murray's vocals. A slow, throbbing bass line is accompanied by a slow but catchy guitar riff which explodes into a chorus of defiance where Murray's vocals are at there most forceful and self assured and the guitars are brash and Nirvana-esque.

One downside to the record is that all the songs are somewhat similar and it is notable that the stand out tracks are the ones that branch out a little and offer something slightly different. The start of the album is great for this and the first five tracks are pretty varied. 'Inaction', track number three, is a great little punk song with a lot of attitude, spectacularly sharp and angular guitars and a sing along chorus. At just over three minutes long it is short and to the point, leaving you with that feeling of wanting more, which something I like in a song. On 'Can't Love' the band slow things down for a more introspective track, with a slow meandering bass line and drawn out vocals. 'Cash Cow' a tirade against consumerism and following track, 'It's a Hit' take a step back towards the opening track and both have catchy tunes and a distinct sense of fun, which is shown in the edgy, witty lyrics and sing along choruses.

In market where new bands seem to be springing up every day 'We Are Scientists' don't seem to have garnered the sort of appreciation that their debut record deserves, but then that is hardly surprising in a genre which is already overloaded with sound alike bands and promises to collapse under the weight of its own mediocrity. Whether the band go on to produce an album of true and unabashed quality may well be down to their ability to evolve, because the indie/alt/post-punk market is one under severe strain and the record buying public must surely be at the limits of tolerance for bands that are seemingly happy to sound the same. The 'Artic Monkeys' and 'Muse' and have ostensibly broken out of the pack and have both produced albums of originality and with this record I get the feeling that 'We Are Scientists' have it in them to break the mould. Tracks such as 'The Great Escape', easily the best on the record, show the sort of promise this band has and their obvious ability to think outside the box. The song's punchy guitar riff, and pounding bass line coupled with the sputtering vocals make for entertaining and sparkling originality, something which would have been more than welcome across the whole of this record. Their promise of potential innovators is enhanced by 'Callbacks', which turns the heat up with a raucous intro reminiscent of 'At the Drive In'. This is probably the most energetic track on the record and Murray's vocals take a step up to match the song's feel, almost to the point of aggression. Its acute and distorted guitars blare and howl alongside the lyrics, with Keith Murray producing some of his finest vocal work, dropping the maudlin tones and opting for a heavier and more punchy style.

From track eight onwards though the record starts to fade away and the last two tracks might as well have been dropped to give the record a shorter and snappier kind of feel, but that doesn't seem to be the trend in today's market. 'Worth the Wait' and 'What's the Word' are not bad songs but by this point their hooks are all too familiar and you get the feeling that the band are starting to run out of ideas and that they are just going through the motions without much thought for originality. 'Lousy Reputation' is one of the brighter points for the back end of the record and its dominant bass notes and Murray's heart felt vocals add weight to its appeal. At this point the band start to sound more and more like their predecessors and threaten to descend into rehashing old ideas but just about scrape through without making too many overly obvious nods to other bands.

The influences of this record are undoubtedly, glaringly obvious, but luckily it doesn't get to the point where it feels fake or forced. This is one of the main reasons that the album needs several listens before being truly appreciated because at first it is easy to simply pull out the various influences and brand the record a simple rehash but given time the Scientists' clever wit and intelligent lyrics set them apart from bands of similar ilk. That is not to say the band don't have things to work on. While they have produced some songs of unerring quality the back end of the record is severely lacking and the record seems to fade out with each passing song. Rather than keeping some aces up their sleeves, We Are Scientists have loaded their most impressive songs into the front of the album, and when the record should be giving its finest, to leave a lasting impression on the listener, the songs just don't grab you like the first half of the record. I don't think it is even a case of the songs being bad in themselves, but just a mistake in the way they were positioned on the album. I feel the band would have been better served by an equal smattering of their best tunes across the whole of the record, thereby ensuring the listener is engaged throughout. Despite this though, the album still contains some excellent rock songs and We Are Scientists have shown great potential with this record. If you're a fan of any of their influences then I'm sure you will enjoy this album just as much. As a side note, any band name dropped by Harry Potter (aka actor Daniel Radcliffe) can't be bad, so give 'em a try!!

Summary: Worth a listen.