CD Review: We Are Scientists

We Are Scientists
With Love and Squalor
Virgin
By David Chiu

The fast pace of this music by this New York-based trio never takes a left-turn: it is consistently hammers it home with pummeling rhythms and Keith Murray’s anguished vocals and careening guitar lines (think Gang of Four and Franz Ferdinand with respects to the latter). The songs on We Are Scientists latest record does recall the early ‘80s post-punk movement with its direct and punkish minimalism and angst-ridden lyrics (“It’s a Hit,” “Can’t Lose”). This band definitely falls in the same league of the Killers and Franz. There is not one lull on the record—With Love and Squalor rocks with abandon.