popwreckoning

It’s no secret that I love We Are Scientists. Possibly a little bit too much. I love them so much that when I saw that they were playing in Seattle and Portland within the span of three days, how could I not go? Heck, if I had a passport I would have taken the trek over the border to Vancouver, BC in between the two shows. Sadly, I didn’t have one, but by double dose of WAS is pretty good for one week, I think.

Monday the 26^th started with the 3-ish hour drive south from where I live to Portland. From there I met up with some friends at Music Millennium on East Burnside in Portland, where We Are Scientists played a short in-store consisting of “Nice Guys” and “Pittsburgh” off their new disc Barbara, as well as a couple more. Check at the end of this post for some videos of the two in-stores I hit in Seattle and Portland. That night WAS played at the Doug Fir Lounge with Rewards (a.k.a. Aaron Pfenning of iPod-commercial-famed Chairlift). This being my first 21+ show, it was quite different than anything I’d ever experienced. First of all, the venue at the Doug Fir is downstairs from the restaurant, which is attached to a hotel. And the venue had air conditioning and cushy seats against the wall. So this was by far the most comfortable I’d ever been at a show before.

After the hour of waiting and watching the various circles of people get more and more inebriated, Rewards (I’m still not sure how to pronounce Pfenning) took the stage at just after 9 p.m. The floor was virtually empty at that point, so I was free to roam around to take pictures. Rewards is what I could call experimental seductive synth pop, if that makes any sense. The heavy bassline that you could feel reverberating through your whole body, Aaron’s understated swagger and deep whispery vocals almost reminded me of INXS’ “Need You Tonight,” except not cheesy. Also unlike the music the 80s, Rewards’ sound had a much more minimal approach to instrumentation, similar to The xx. Aaron definitely left some of the commercial-friendly aspects of Chairlift behind when pursuing his own – almost spooky, but sexy – solo stuff.

With how anxious as I was to see We Are Scientists, I really enjoyed Rewards. He played into the small crowd, acting quite casual on stage. About halfway through his set, he shed this Tommy Bahama lounge shirt, telling everyone that it was Keith’s (Murray) shirt. “I’m never wearing this thing again,” he said. In fact, this was the first time I’d seen in a long time that the openers and the headliners were so buddy-buddy. The last song of Rewards’ set called “Two Cardinals,” he brought all of We Are Scientists out on stage – Keith playing the drums, Chris playing bass, and WAS’s drummer Danny Allen (formerly of Youth Group) on a red Gibson SG. The stage was so full of love you couldn’t help but smile at Keith’s raucous and exuberant drumming. Since Rewards doesn’t actually have any albums or EPs out, I strongly recommend you go check out his MySpace page at Myspace.com/aaronpfenning, seeing that it’s the only place you can check his music out. Unless of course you see him on tour with WAS. Which I recommend even more.

At 10:15, the floor had filled up a bit, and people still clutched the beers they’d previously purchased. Keith Murray, Chris Cain, and Danny Allen came out on stage to very talkative crowd. Seriously, there were multiple exchanges between the guys and the audience. But that’s part of what I love about WAS so much – they’re chatty. Chattiness mixed with wittiness adds up to some hilarious banter. If my memory serves me correctly, they started with “Rules Don’t Stop,” the short and equally as catchy first single off Barbara. I was too excited to keep track of the set list completely, but thankfully my friend Adrian has a ridiculously good memory. So I know what songs they played, just not in what order. There was a mix of old songs like “This Scene is Dead” and “Inaction” and new ones like “Pittsburgh” and “Ambition.” I was disappointed not to hear “It’s A Hit” off With Love And Squalor, their phenomenal major label debut, but as Chris promised me in an interview back in May, we got a wicked version of “Chick Lit.” At one point someone in the front of the crowd demanded a bass solo, because Keith had some awesome guitar solos already. But before giving into the crowd’s demands, Chris gave this unbelievable explanation for what he was about to do. He said that most people who do bass solos care too much about tone, so he was going to play a “real” bass solo. And apparently according to Cain, a real bass solo doesn’t need to be plugged it. So he unplugged and rocked out like a 16-year-old boy playing air guitar to Lynyrd Skynyrd. Writhing around the floor with ridiculous facial expressions and all. And Murray stood there, staring at Chris in awe. Naturally, we all did as well.

There wasn’t much of an encore. Or maybe there was, but there just wasn’t a break between the main set and the encore. They played “The Great Escape,” “After Hours,” and I think it was “Cash Cow.” Or “Callbacks.” This confusion could have been avoided if they’d written down their set list. Thanks, guys.

After this show, I remembered how much I love this band. It had been over two years since I saw them live in Seattle for the first time, and after two days of nervous stomach, I could not have been more pleased. WAS is so full of energy and cheeky happiness that it’s impossible to not have fun. And chilling outside the Doug Fir after the show, it was so pleasant to finally talk to them in person. After chatting with Danny for a good ten minutes about touring in podunk towns and how it differs from Australia, I formally introduced myself to Chris.

“I’m Abby. I actually talked to you on the phone a couple months ago, for PopWreckoning?”

“Oh, you’re that Abby? Well thank you for your personal and professional interest in our band,” he said.

And then my friends and I threatened Chris and told him that they had to play “Lethal Enforcer” in Seattle, because it’s such a good tune – seriously, it’s like someone spoon-feeding awesome directly into your ears. There were hugs all around and we went along on our way because the owners of the Doug Fir told us that we couldn’t sit in the parking lot anymore seeing that it was about 2 a.m.

I took the next day to drive home and recover so I’d be ready for another day of We Are Scientists in Seattle, at the same venue I’d seen them play at two years ago at Neumo’s.

Wednesday night already started out great because I found free parking, so nothing could really ruin my night. Thankfully, nothing did.

That night WAS played an acoustic in-store at Sonic Boom Records on Capitol Hill before their show at Neumo’s, and from when I saw, because I was late, they played “After Hours,” “Jack and Ginger,” and “Rules Don’t Stop,” all while sitting criss-cross on the makeshift wooden stage. Before playing “Jack and Ginger,” Keith told everyone, “We’re playing a much more stripped down set at Neumo’s tonight,” because he’s just that sarcastic.

Just like Monday’s show at the Doug Fir, it took forever for Neumo’s to fill up. I didn’t have to stand up at the front from the beginning to get my spot. I had time to sit up in the bar. It was like a whole new world, because I’d never been upstairs in Neumo’s before. And I also had time to go talk to Keith who was peddling t-shirts and vinyls at the merch table and pick up a new copy of With Love And Squalor for Adrian who was sitting outside because she was not quite 21 yet, and she’d worn out her copy. Keith looked at me perplexed, “Wore it out? What did she do, rub it in grit?”

Aaron Pfenning took the stage, pre-empting his performance with, “my hologram band from Vancouver got held up at immigration.” This time he didn’t sport the Tommy Bahama shirt, but a slightly more dressed up ensemble, matched with his Marty McFly Nike high-tops. Again Rewards rocked it, at one point taking a step down in the crowd, tugging the mic cord behind him and meandering around the scarcely populated room.

Along with Rewards, WAS had a second opener, Seattle vintage rockers Black Whales. They weren’t nearly as intriguing as Rewards, but equally as catchy and more energetic, taking melodic cues from The Kinks and Bob Dylan. It was hook-y tambourine-laden guitar rock. Stuff that you and you parents could enjoy. I quite liked “Books of Tape,” with its ultra danceable beat and non-stop catchiness, from verse to bridge to chorus.

The title track off their EP Origins, released on Mt. Fuji records, was also a nice little ditty. Head on over to Black Whales’ MySpace for more information about their music and where to purchase their EP.

At this point Neumo’s had not quite maximum capacity – surely nothing like an all-ages show. WAS came out on stage to the excited crowd and started right in to “Nice Guys,” after Chris proclaimed to the audience “Welcome to Seattle.” A couple seconds later Keith replied, “Are you talking to me and Danny?” He wasn’t, Keith.

Again, the guys’ banter never gets old. Keith and Chris should seriously moonlight as stand-up comedians. After a couple oldies but goodies (the set list was virtually the same as Portland’s show), we got to rock out to “I Don’t Bite,” one of my favorite tracks off Barbara. It’s the heaviest song on the album, and employs Keith’s strong vocals (which I’m glad they brought back into the forefront for Barbara. It’s the one thing that I think Brain Thrust Mastery was sadly lacking.)

I may have been the only one standing right up front singing along to every song, at least the correct lyrics. Just like Adrian told me, I know We Are Scientists’ music so well that I can tell which song is coming next by how Keith tunes his guitar. And as soon as Keith started tuning his Telecaster for “Nobody Move, Nobody Get Hurt,” I knew it was would get the room moving. And it surely did. I mean, how can you not dance and sing along to  “My body is your body, if you wanna use my body, go for it yeah!” It’s infectious. In fact, that’s how I can describe them – We Are Scientists is infectious, but in the best possible way. “It’s A Hit” wasn’t on the set list again, but thankfully Adrian was outside keeping track of all the songs in order, because I forgot my notebook to write it down (thanks, my friend). Actually as soon as the band was about to start “Rules Don’t Stop,” Keith started laughing flailing wildly on stage. He looked absolutely crazy, but it turned out that he was waving at Adrian standing outside in the back because a security guard had opened the door to let some of the hot air out.

During the encore, Chris started to explain to the audience that they’d be having a special guest come out for one of the songs.

“Eddie Vedder!” someone shouted from the audience.

Oh, Seattle.

“No, it’s not Eddie Vedder,” Chris replied sharply.

Aaron Pfenning came out to play the haunting “Two Cardinals” with them, Keith on drums, Chris on bass and Danny on lead guitar just like Portland.

It was such a special night. I honestly apologize for the length of this post, because I’m sure you’re probably getting tired of reading at this point. That’s why I’ve posted videos and pretty pictures to look at. But with it having been two years since I saw We Are Scientists, my favorite band in the whole wide world, I felt like I had to capture every detail. Because that’s really what we’re doing – telling stories. To make you feel like you’re there.

I’m just incredibly thankful that I had the chance to be there for both shows, because not only is We Are Scientists a great live band with sidesplitting banter and loving stage presence, but they’re also awfully lovely guys. If you get the chance to see them on the rest of this tour, don’t hesitate to approach Keith, Chris or Danny and tell them how awesome they are.

Seattle Set List:
1. Nice Guys
2. This Scene is Dead
3. Inaction
4. I Don’t Bite
5. Impatience
6. Let’s See It
7. Nobody Move, Nobody Get Hurt
8. Rules Don’t Stop
9. Chick Lit
10. Pittsburgh
11. Ambition
12. Break It Up
13. Dinosaurs
14. Great Escape
15. Jack & Ginger
16. Two Cardinals (w/ Rewards)
17. After Hours

Here’s a couple videos from the in-stores.

Check out even more photos from the shows HERE and HERE.

One very good option this past boiling Friday night in Washington was to head into the decidedly more comfy confines (read: well air-conditioned) of the Black Cat to see We Are Scientists gig on the main stage. This time, they’d brought with them two opening acts, girl group Bad Girlfriend and Lightspeed Champion (aka Dev Hynes).

I tend to be overly critical of girl bands. Especially if they’ve got long blonde locks and are dressed in polka-dotted, super short dresses. But the truth is, they have so much to prove in the male-dominated music industry, and that means they have to really rock and prove themselves a hundred times over to audiences and critics. With the unsigned Brooklyn band Bad Girlfriend, I wasn’t too impressed with their vocals – a song titled “Blonde Rocket” isn’t really my thing – but their garage fierce guitar-playing leads me to think there’s something there, if it’s not obvious on the surface. The sound is very Californian – jangly guitars with vocals, kind of similar to what the Like and Surfer Blood are doing these days (somewhat aping the Beach Boys‘s vibe), but the songs aren’t as strong as those groups.

Next up was Lightspeed Champion. I first came to know of Dev Hynes‘s solo work by hearing the ‘tude-filled and hook-laden “Marlene” on BBC 6music, so I was expecting to hear this recent single at this show. No such luck. Hynes, seemingly always wearing his New York Yankees baseball cap, played Friday night with nothing but his guitar and a Macbook for backing. If you’re into uncomplicated sweet pop songs, this would have been the set for you.

One girl at the front knew every word to every song Hynes played, so I’m glad she was up front, but I think I can speak for the rest of the crowd, we were mostly lost. For example, “Galaxy of the Lost”, with the lyrics of ” well kiss my open wounds, and add some ice, and choke on my sick vice,” is more heart-wrenching and probably would have worked better with a less happy-go-lucky, indie rock band than We Are Scientists. Hynes has a strong singing voice as evidenced by songs like “Midnight Surprise”, it’s just that the audience there that night at the Black Cat were mostly the kind who didn’t appreciate his type of mostly baroque pop.

We Are Scientists began their set shortly after 11. By this time, the club had mostly filled up and it was feeling a little cramped in the front. The Black Cat hosts mostly all-ages shows, so by now, those who could drink had already thrown back a couple and were being generally obnoxious. The band’s latest album Barbara was just released in mid-June so I knew they’d be playing songs from that album. The most disappointing thing about the whole night was that it became crystal clear to me that most people there didn’t have a clue that the band had new songs, let alone that they had a new album out. Um, there’s this thing called the internet? “Nice Guys” started the set with appropriate high energy, but the crowd wasn’t with lead singer / guitarist Keith Murray and bassist Chris Cain. I love the song, the way it’s frenetic and poppy. But the crowd wasn’t feeling it.

The next song, “This Scene is Dead” from their debut With Love and Squalor, went down far better, everyone in the club dancing along. As the night went on, it was obvious the old favorites – “Inaction,” “Dinosaurs”, and “The Great Escape” (introduced by Cain as their best dance song) just three examples – that the majority of the crowd had come to see. Peppered throughout the band’s set was Murray and Cain’s always funny conversations with each other and with the crowd; I’m not sure if all the joking was causing them to make count-in mistakes, but it really didn’t matter because like cats, they always landed on their feet with something terribly amusing to say to us and everyone forgot that there was a “mistake” in the first place. Another mistake I spied was by a girl who had pushed herself to the front and had elbowed all of us out of the way. In her effort to be “seen” by the band, she waved her arms frantically during the last third of the set, and then clapped enthusiastically to new song “Jack and Ginger,” blissfully unaware that she was clapping completely off the rhythm. She also stole a set list from the stage later, which all regular Cat gig-goers know is bad etiquette.

I don’t know about you, but to me, a We Are Scientists gig seems to be the last place you’d see canoodling. But there was a couple right up front, making out during “Nobody Move, Nobody Get Hurt” while me and new friends I’d made at the concert rolled our eyes and looked away to stop ourselves from getting sick. I guess if you had to choose a song to make out to, that would be the one. I just wasn’t expecting anyone to do it at a gig. I mean, really. Get a room. Or at least go to the side and get out of our way. We want to groove to “Chick Lit” and “It’s a Hit” and you’re really distracting us.

An aborted attempt of Cain’s to start encore song “Cash Cow” causes him to fool around with this bass, concocting several possible lines to be Murray’s “theme song” until Murray is happy with it and the audience cheers for him at the just the right moment. See, with any other band, five false starts would be cause for cat-calls and groaning. But not for our We Are Scientists. They’re funny, they’re real, and for goodness sakes, they play some great rock. And if you haven’t seen them live yet, go. You are in for a real treat.

We Are Scientists Set List
Nice Guys
This Scene is Dead
Inaction
I Don’t Bite
Impatience
Let’s See It
Nobody Move, Nobody Get Hurt
Rules Don’t Stop
Chick Lit
Pittsburgh
Ambition
It’s a Hit
Dinosaurs
The Great Escape
Jack and Ginger
After Hours
//
Cash Cow

Tour Dates:
Jul 19 – Horseshoe Tavern / Toronto
Jul 20 – Blind Pig / Ann Arbor, MI
Jul 21 – Bottom Lounge / Chicago
Jul 23 – Larimer Lounge / Denver
Jul 26 – Doug Fir / Portland
Jul 27 – Biltmore Cabaret / Vancouver
Jul 28 – Neumo’s / Seattle
Aug 06 – Troubadour / Los Angeles
Aug 07 – Slim’s / San Francisco
Aug 08 – Cellar Door / Visalia, CA
Aug 10 – Kilby Court / Salt Lake City
Aug 12 – Record Bar / Kansas City, MO
Aug 13 – Old Rock House / St. Louis
Aug 14 – Basement / Columbus
Aug 15 – Brillobox / Pittsburgh
Sept 03 – Fountain Square / Cincinnati

We Are Scientists: website | myspace | Brain Thrust Mastery review | @ Johnny Brenda’s | @ Austin Music Hall | @ Electric Factory | @ Black Cat, January 2010 | MP3 Minute: “Rules Don’t Stop” | We Are Scientists Debut “Nice Guys” Single | Interview with: Chris Cain of We Are Scientists | Barbara review
Lightspeed Champion: website | myspace
Bad Girlfriend: myspace

If awards for humor were given out to rock musicians, Chris Cain and Keith Murray of We Are Scientists would be the first recipients of such an honor. (What other band would dare include a guide called “Rules of Romance” in their album’s liner notes?) Rock stars are constantly being quoted as saying, “we don’t take ourselves too seriously,” but in the case of We Are Scientists, you definitely get the feeling from their communications with the world (blog entries about horse blankets, silly and self-deprecating Tweets, and faux-cocky Facebook posts) that this band takes those words to heart. In every interview they do, it’s obvious that Cain and Murray are close friends, which no doubt is one of the major keys to their success.

The Scientists split from their label, Virgin, in late 2009 and are now with Masterswan Recordings/Megaforce Distribution. Beyond that, they have also taken a more DIY approach with their forthcoming, highly anticipated third major album, Barbara, produced by long-time collaborator Ariel Rechtstaid. In addition, there was a personnel change: beardy ex-Razorlight drummer Andy Burrows played drums on this album and if the liner notes are to be believed, he is now an official member of the band, even though he hasn’t been seen playing live with Cain and Murray at every one of their gigs this year.

On this outing, the band have eschewed the fanciful synths from Brain Thrust Mastery in favor of the formula that made them indie cult favorites with their first major album With Love and Squalor: incisive lyrics, guitar, bass, and drums. From that description alone, I guessed that fans of the first album would immediately take to this album, whereas those who favored the second would not be as impressed (I fall into the latter). Both “Rules Don’t Stop” and “I Don’t Bite” sound a bit sinister but then turn the corner into classic WAS – melodic, hook-driven melodies with memorable singalong choruses.

These two plus “Nice Guys” and “Jack & Ginger,” the first four songs, are where Barbara shines: the crux of We Are Scientists‘ most successful tunes are immediate, pop melodies with Murray’s frank, funny, and witty lyrics. Check out the funny promo video for “Nice Guys” below; it’s the next single from the album to be released on June 8, just 1 week ahead of the album’s official debut. The low-tech video features humorous but nonsensical captions, Murray’s now-famous red and white Reeboks, and his shenanigans with a scooter around New York City. You can’t help but laugh with these guys.

Then the album turns decidedly darker. “Pittsburgh,” “Ambition,” and “Foreign Kicks” point back to the slower, more stolid “Textbook” of With Love and Squalor and “Ghouls” and “Tonight” of Brain Thrust Mastery; dirge-like, they’re not terribly melodic, and lyrically, they’re not very deep either. “Break It Up” is more upbeat, the sort of track I envision dance instructors who know nothing about the band pick for their class mixtapes for a bouncy, ’80s sound. On a WAS record however, it seems out of place. I’m not complaining though; I’d much rather hear faster tempo songs from this band.

See, the free-wheeling guitars (check out the guitar solo in the bridge) and fun chorus of “Central AC”, the last track on Barbara, lift things way back up and remind you of why you listen to We Are Scientists in the first place. You can imagine them singing this onstage, genuine smiles all around. It’s a good album but it’s noticeably lacking an obvious crowd-pleaser like “The Great Escape” or “Chick Lit,” the kind that fans go crazy over at their shows. That said, the WAS live experience is so unique that even if you aren’t immediately bowled over by this album, go to one of their gigs and prepare to be entertained. And to laugh your head off.

Barbara will be released on June 15 in America on Masterswan Recordings/Megaforce Distribution. Catch the band play these new tunes on their North American tour in July.

Track Listing:
01. Rules Don’t Stop
02. I Don’t Bite
03. Nice Guys
04. Jack & Ginger
05. Pittsburgh
06. Ambition
07. Break It Up
08. Foreign Kicks
09. You Should Learn
10. Central AC

Tour Dates:
Jul 13 – Middle East / Cambridge, MA
Jul 14 – Bowery Ballroom / New York City
Jul 15 – Johnny Brenda’s / Philadelphia
Jul 16 – Black Cat / Washington, DC
Jul 19 – Horseshoe Tavern / Toronto
Jul 20 – Blind Pig / Ann Arbor, MI
Jul 21 – Bottom Lounge / Chicago
Jul 23 – Larimer Lounge / Denver
Jul 26 – Doug Fir / Portland
Jul 28 – Neumo’s / Seattle

We Are Scientists: website | myspace | Brain Thrust Mastery review | @ Johnny Brenda’s | @ Austin Music Hall | @ Electric Factory | @ Black Cat | MP3 Minute: “Rules Don’t Stop” | We Are Scientists Debut “Nice Guys” Single | Interview with: Chris Cain of We Are Scientists

With the release of their new album Barbara in just under a month, We Are Scientists has spent the last year recording across two continents, playing at small gigs in the U.S. and UK, and a showcase at SXSW in March. Next month, coming right off the Barbara release, the band will be playing at the Glastonbury Festival on June 27^th.

I recently got the chance to talk to Chris Cain, bassist of We Are Scientists about the upcoming album, leaving a major label, and British snack foods. Plus, We Are Scientists just happens to be my favorite band ever, so it was kind of a dream come true. Check out the full interview (with a couple hints of sarcasm) below.

Abby Williamson, PopWreckoning: Hi, how are you doing this fine afternoon?
Chris Cain, We Are Scientists: I’m pretty darn good.
AW: Alright, let’s do this thing. I, of course, will be buying Barbara here in just over a month, but why should other people buy Barbara?
CC: Well, I think it’s a good pop record. It’s got a bunch of pleasing kicks… It’s got funny liner notes. I’m gonna say that it’s got REALLY funny liner notes.
AW: Funny liner notes are always good. I’ve read some pretty sweet ones this year. What should people expect from listening to Barbara? Since you’ve gone back to the three-piece formula, is this going to be more like With Love And Squalor or Brain Thrust Mastery?
CC: It’s more like WLAS in a superficial sense. I think it will strike people as more WLAS-esque, cause it tends to be drums, bass, guitar, and two or three vocal parts, so that’s more like the first record. I think the songwriting and the melodic sense and things like that which are a little more subtle and difficult to quantify are similar to BTM and sort of an extension further forward from BTM, which I think was an extension forward from WLAS.

AW: Why did you leave Virgin Records and go at it alone this time?
CC: I think right now it’s the only tolerable way to go, the kind of route that we’re going, especially for a band that’s already established a little bit of headway and has kind of a fan base. We considered staying with [Virgin], we were talking to them about doing another record there, but they’re corporate mandated for a really invasive contract right now. They need to have a piece of all aspects of the band, I think in order to defray the likeliness that they’ll lose money on a record. And they want a piece of live business, and the merch and everything else, which is totally standard in the major label industry right now, but I don’t think it’s very equitable for bands who aren’t used to it, and it strikes you as preposterous. I think a lot of young bands are signing to those terms right now, and I think that the only upside of that is the companies that are on the contracts will probably out of business in the next couple of years, so they probably won’t be held to them for very long. It’s a tough time to be a band on a major label.

AW: What would you say is different in the recording process now that you’re independent from the major label?
CC: We recorded the first record on our own, and sold it to Virgin as part of the signing, so the only record we’ve ever recorded on a label, so to speak, is Brain Thrust Mastery, which was more stressful, and kind of annoying to record. Not to say that they were annoying, necessarily, but to record on a major, there are a number of people who want their say in shaping the sound of the record. I don’t think we’re overly precious about our songs or our creative rights, but at the end of the day, we like our take on things better than someone else that’s forced to listen to other people. I think also because we were on a major, we went ahead and spent more money on the studio. This time we were much more frugal where we could be. Not to say we were miserly, but in working with Andy [Burrows] on this record, getting everyone’s schedules changed up, and through lots of travel, the record certainly wasn’t cheap to make. We were less willing to pay for a fancy lounge with a pool table at a studio. Last time that’s all we cared about.

AW: Speaking of Andy, will he be going on tour with you coming up or will Danny [Allen] be the set drummer for this tour?
CC: It’s looking like Danny’s going to be doing the bulk of the drumming. Andy will be making surprise appearances here and there.
AW: Because [Andy’s] working on his own solo record right now, isn’t he?
CC: Yeah, he’s got his solo record coming out in July actually. So he’s in the thick of the same thing we are, except that it’s his first record, and it’s a little less intense. He’s gonna be busy for much of this record cycle with his own thing. But both Andy and [Keith and I] feel like if we do the next record together we’re going to make sure that the record cycles don’t overlap.

AW: When you did SXSW was that more to help your profile in America? We know that you guys tour the UK more because you have a bigger audience there and make more money there versus the US, but can you see yourselves ever giving America a real shot? Like touring America in some crappy van going to as many cities as you can?
CC: Yeah, we’re actually going to that this summer, except for the crappy van part. We’ve got a deluxe – I mean our van isn’t luxurious – but it’s a performance automobile.
AW: So the tour is this summer?
CC: We haven’t announced it yet, but we’re gonna play shows over the course of July and August, we’ll make a full circuit of the states. The U.S. is gonna get a full tour before anyone else.
AW: Sweet
CC: We’re giving the U.S. the first crack.

AW: What’s your favorite song to perform off the new album?
CC: Let’s see. (Pauses) That’s a tough question. “I Don’t Bite” is pretty fun from a rocking out standpoint, but “Rules Don’t Stop” is pretty fun because it’s the toughest to play in terms of getting everything to lock in. So maybe “Rules Don’t Stop” is really fun when it works.

AW: Will there be keyboards on tour? Cause some songs off Brain Thrust Mastery like “Lethal Enforcer” had keyboards, or will it be just the three of you guys?
CC: It’s just gonna be the three of us, and we’ve been working on rearranging Brain Thrust Mastery songs for three. For example, I think we’ve got a really cool sounding “Chick Lit” worked out, but we have not cracked the “Lethal Enforcer” code yet. That is one of our big goals for the live shows, is to get “Lethal Enforcer” up and running.

AW: What’s your favorite city that you’ve ever played in, in terms of the shows?
CC: Well I think the shows that are the most fun are not necessarily the hugest volume of people, but anything between 500-1000 people are the ideal size, with an audience that’s super excited to have you there. So that more often happens in the UK than elsewhere, but we have good shows in a lot of America and Europe, but the great shows are not always in your favorite city. Sometimes the kids who are living in desperately shitty towns are most excited to escape their daily lives at your show.

AW: Will the dolls from the “Nice Guys” single art make any more appearances?
CC: I don’t know. We haven’t planned anything yet, but if we had any more skill as video makers we would have done some kind of animated video. Fortunately, all we had was a truly badass scooter rider. We’re actually talking about doing a poster for a fall tour featuring those dolls. There was somebody at our European distributor who wanted to talk about merchandising those dolls, but I feel like the world isn’t quite hungry enough for We Are Scientists dolls yet.

AW: Does [your son] Dash know that he’s in the “Nice Guys” video? Like is he old enough to be aware of it? Or did he just think that he was following Keith around?
CC: He knew he was making the video, and he has reviewed his own performance in the video a couple of times. He’s pretty happy with the work he did. Any actor has a little bit of a tough time watching their own work.
AW: Does Dash have a favorite We Are Scientists song?
(SILENCE. I lost the connection momentarily. Re-dialing, ring, ring, ring.)
CC: Hey!
AW: I lost the connection with your for a second.
CC: Yeah, sorry, I’m in the car, so if I cut out just call back. But what was your last question?
AW: Oh, does Dash have a favorite We Are Scientists song?
CC: Sure he does. [Indiscriminate child noises] Hey Dash, what’s your favorite We Are Scientists song? [More indiscriminate child noises] He says butt. [More noises] I think “Pittsburgh” is his favorite right now, but he’s refusing to say anything, but ‘butt’ with two t’s.

AW: Do you and Keith plan on making any more of your own videos like you did with “Nice Guys?”
CC: I think the next single will be August, so it will sort of depend on what we’re up to at the time the video needs to be made. If we had the time, I think it would be fun. We enjoy it, I don’t think we necessarily make very good videos, but we enjoy it.
AW: Well, they’re charming.
CC: Yeah, charming.

AW: What are some of the best presents you’ve gotten on tour from fans?
CC: Probably the best present of all time was a gift from Adrian, the doll maker. Those crazy voodoo dolls were pretty awesome. That was a long time ago, but more recently there’s been a group of fans in the UK who, whenever they see us, bring me a book for Dash, which is pretty cool, then I read it to him over Skype. It’s helpful, it’s a useful gift, you know?
AW: Yeah, it’s practical. What’s been the most memorable moment on tour so far?
CC: Let’s see. We haven’t really done a lot of touring, we’ve only done isolated shows here and there, but the show we played at the Roundhouse, Camden Crawl a couple of weeks ago was really great, because it was the first larger show over 200 people that we’ve played coming back on this record. It’s kind of a cool reminder of what that’s like, cause we had all forgotten it.

AW: The new tee shirts [on the We Are Scientists site] are really awesome, but is Keith planning on getting his own shirt like you have “Bass your life on Chris?”
CC: I think we’ll unroll a Keith shirt at some point during this album cycle. The “Bass your life on Chris” shirt was burning a hole in our creative pockets, so to speak. It had been ready to launch for many months, and we felt like it was a pretty strong way to lead off the campaigning, to maybe put us in Coldplay territory next year. I think when we’re safely at that next level it’ll be a good time to risk a Keith shirt. We’ll have to come up with a good pun for it, that’s the problem.

AW: Are there any more plans for TV shows like “Steve Wants His Money?”
CC: We are talking to MTV Europe, who made “Steve Wants His Money,” about doing a half-hour show, but more of a standard sitcom-type deal. We have not finalized it, but we’re in discussion. At this point part of the problem is finding time to shoot something like that. Cause “Steve Wants His Money” was shot in four days, and I think if we shot 8 episodes of a sitcom it would require at least two or three months, which might not happen until the end of this tour cycle.

AW: I actually had a friend that wanted me to ask you this – what are your thoughts concerning Marmite?
CC: Marmite?
AW: Yes.
CC: I enjoy Marmite. I’ve had Marmite-flavored – I wish I could remember what they’re called – they’re a very popular sort-of pretzel-like snack available in the UK. I assume also in Australia. Super delicious. The kind that you would buy at any supermarket. I forget the name, but boy are they good. Oh, are they twiggets?
AW: Maybe I’ll Google it. (I did, and they’re called Twiglets, in case you were wondering.)
CC: We don’t have them here.
AW: On that note, I should probably let you go, and I don’t want to take up any more of your time. Thank you for talking to me!
CC: Absolutely, absolutely. Thanks for taking the time to interview me. Presumably you’ll have to do something with this even after we get off the phone, like write something up.

Upcoming Dates:

June
14 – Glasgow, Buchanan St. / hmv
15 – Manchester Arndale / hmv
18-19 – Scheessel, Germany Southside and Hurricane Festival
20 – Utrecht, Netherlands / Tivoli de Helling
21 – Cambridge UK / The Junction
22 – Wolverhampton UK / Wolverhampton Civic Hall
24 – Sheffield UK / The Leadmill
25 – Oxford UK / O2 Academy
27 – Worthy Farm, Pilton UK / Glastonbury

July
8 – Hultsfred, Sweeden / Hultsfred Festival
10 – Balado, Kinross-Shire, Scotland / T in the Park
11 – Punchestown Racecourse, Naas, Ireland / Oxegen Festival
13 – Cambridge MA / The Middle East
15 – Philadelphia PA / Johnny Brenda’s
16 – Washington DC / Black Cat

After debuting “Nice Guys,” the second single off their upcoming album Barbara, on Zane Lowe’s BBC Radio 1 Program, We Are Scientists have now released the video and cover art for the “Nice Guys” single.  The video, which can be now seen at The Sun online, features Keith Murray racing through suburban city streets on a child’s scooter, and eating pavement just as much. And it also includes some recognizably misheard lyrics scrolling across the screen, which is also a testament to the Scientists’ strong sarcastic sense of humor. Instead of “If you’re the nice guy, act like the nice guy,” the closed captioning says, “Act like the night sky, act like the night sky.”

The video is only available at The Sun’s website, but as soon as it’s uploaded to Youtube, we’ll be sure to include it right here at PopWreckoning.

The cover art, both nostalgic and a bit nonsensical, is characteristic of We Are Scientists’ relationship with their fans, and their fans’ overwhelming love for them. The dolls featured on the cover were actually made and given to the Scientists by a friend of mine, Adrian Stone.

“Nice Guys” will be officially released on June 7, and Barbara will be released on June 14.

And if you can’t wait to see the boys on tour, they won’t be touring regularly in the U.S. until at least the fall, but they will be hitting up several festivals and smaller gigs in Europe this summer.

May 2: Roundhouse, London
June 27: Glastonbury
July 9: T In The Park
August 27: Leeds Festival
August 28: Reading Festival

Visit Wearescientists.com for more.

This could be because I have a ridiculous amount of love for We Are Scientists (WAS), but I was overwhelmed with excitement when they premiered the first single “Rules Don’t Stop” from their upcoming album Barbara on the Zane Lowe show on BBC Radio 1 Wednesday night. Well, at least it was at night for Zane Lowe. It was 11:30 am where I was.

The first new song since their 2008 disc Brain Thrust Mastery, “Rules Don’t Stop” is great. I wish it was longer than 2:16, but it brings back what I loved about We Are Scientists in the first place. While Brain Thrust Mastery was good, With Love And Squalor was better, and “Rules Don’t Stop” sounds more like early WAS songs. It highlights the great harmonies between front man Keith Murray and bassist Chris Cain, while adapting the higher production values of Brain Thrust Mastery.

This new release also differs on who’s on drums. WAS has shuffled through a few drummers the last couple of years after Michael Tapper left the band, but former Razorlight drummer Andy Burrows, has officially joined the ranks for this album. I’m still not sure if he’ll be joining Murray and Cain on tour, because Burrows is recording his own solo album at the present.

A video for “Rules Don’t Stop” is set to be premiered in the next couple of weeks, so keep your eyes peeled. I certainly will.

For more complete information on Barbara and We Are Scientists in general, check out What’s the Word. The site will constantly update about Barbara as soon as new developments come.

And take a listen to “Rules Don’t Stop” at the link below. The single will be officially released on CD and vinyl on April 5.
We Are Scientists – Rules Don’t Stop by PIAS/Integral

“You can’t control rock ‘n’ roll!” So goes a copyrighted saying proffered by We Are Scientists‘ bassist Chris Cain this past Thursday night at the Black Cat. That evening, Washington D.C. received a wonderful gift in the form of a lively gig from the New York-based indie rockers. As the second of only three gigs on “The Big Fuckin’ Deal Tour,” I was excited that my town was going to receive something truly special: not only would we hear the great songs from their amazing previous albums, but we would also get a preview of their forthcoming album to be released sometime this spring.

The support act for the night was Uninhabitable Mansions, a Brooklyn five-piece playing mostly upbeat pop/rock numbers. I imagine their unwieldy name may put off some from the get-go, but that would be really unfair, as they put on an enjoyable set. Lead singer/guitarist Robbie Guertin tentatively joked with his band mates between songs, reasonably successful in trying to garner the same kind of rapport that WAS have with their fans. At first, with songs like the upbeat “Do You Have a Strategy” made me think they were a straight-forward rock band, but two slower songs threw my radar off, proving to me that they were more versatile than I initially thought. Delivered in wordy Michael Stipe / R.E.M.’s “It’s The End of the World As We Know It” style, the song “We Already Know” was a fun way to end their set, setting audience members’ heads bopping.

WAS took the stage around 10 with the crowd cheering them as they got onstage. Along with wildly energetic versions of their songs, jokey banter between Cain and singer/guitarist Keith Murray is a hallmark of WAS shows. So it should come as no surprise that in addition to the great music, the two also made us laugh a lot with their jokes. After playing a new track called “Jack and Ginger,” Murray laid into a fan stage right that had shouted, “I love Chris!” and replied in mock disgust, “What the heck are you doing on the Keith Murray side? You all know I stand on this side of the stage and Chris stands on the other!” Later on, the two discussed what might happen if American novelist Philip Roth decided to go head-to-head with WAS (presumably in songwriting???), with Cain insisting Roth did that previously with Bon Jovi, and Bon Jovi lost.

You may have noticed I haven’t talked about WAS’s drummer yet. The band has gone through a series of them since they started. Last year there was much talk among WAS fans when former Razorlight drummer Andy Burrows was recruited to play with the band; indeed, he played drums on the new album. However, Burrows was unable to join Cain and Murray on this tour, so drummer Danny Allen (on temporary loan from Aussie band Youth Group) was drafted as an interim replacement. During the set, Cain and Murray asked the audience whom they thought Allen looked like; an audience member shouted, “Mark Twain!” Cain looked at Allen, saying, “If you are Mark Twain, consider your contract with us null and void.” Personally, I thought he looked like a cross between Shakespeare and the late, great Led Zeppelin drummer John Bonham. But forget who he looks like; Allen handily provided the powerful backbeats to WAS’s songs. And let’s face it: the majority of WAS’s songs rely on driving beats, and on songs like “Inaction” and “It’s a Hit,” Allen’s drumming was spot on.

Hearing the crowd around you sing along to every word of a song is an incredible feeling, and this experience was repeated throughout the night as the guys tore through fan favorites like “Nobody Move, Nobody Get Hurt” from With Love and Squalor (2005) and “Chick Lit” from Brain Thrust Mastery (2008). “Dinosaurs,” a track from Brain Thrust Mastery, has never really been a favorite of mine. On this night, however, it was fantastic live: the song building and building in intensity to its conclusion and Murray shouting, “It’s natural selection; it’s natural selection; it’s natural selection!” with reckless abandon. As a former biology student, I chuckled to myself, seriously doubting Charles Darwin would have approved.

After the raucous rock-out that is “The Great Escape” and the band left the stage, we all incorrectly assumed that based on the set list, the background music being piped in on the PA, and the unplugging of Murray’s yellow Fender, there would be no encore. However, to our delight and probably somewhat to the annoyance of the band’s guitar tech, they returned to close out the night with a rousing rendition of “Cash Cow.” Murray kept thanking us all night for being so great: Keith, Chris and Danny, on behalf of the Black Cat audience that night, the feeling was totally mutual. And given the preview of four great new tracks, I’m chomping at the bit for the new album.

We Are Scientists: website | myspace | Brain Thrust Mastery review | @ johnny brenda’s | @ austin music hall | @ electric factory
Uninhabitable Mansions: website | myspace

Opening a sold out show is no easy feat. You know the crowd is there for the headliners and those that have shown up in time for your set really need to be impressed and that’s what The Whigs did on the second of their two night stint at the Electric Factory.  The threesome played energetic, gritty rock featuring beautiful riffs, heavy vocals and energetic beats. The half full venue enjoyed the Whigs’ energy, solid set and infectious stage presence.

At one point, these Georgia guys made an awkward joke about the Colts winning the last World Series that fell flat for so many reasons then played a song with such a rock star finish — wild beats and pounding guitars — that the audience was surprised to see the guys launch into another song. The remainder of the long opening set blended together until the very last song with stellar beats from the energetic Julian Dorio and roaring vocals.

We Are Scientists followed The Whigs in an attempt to keep the energy flying high for Kings of Leon. I last saw W.A.S. at Johnny Brenda’s and do prefer to see Chris Cain and Keith Murray play in a smaller venue, but they kicked the set into high gear as front man Murray sang, “My body is your body / I won’t tell anybody” and later jumped into the crowd and made his way to the back of the Electric Factory. The crowd was moving around and sufficiently stoked for the main act of the night.

In an act of what I found to be pretension, Kings of Leon walked out onto the stage to a heavenly choir as the crowd went nuts. Maybe I’m unfairly judging KoL, but I  also found their light show to be equally pretentious and obnoxious as they shined bright spotlights into the crowd nearly blinding us all many times. The crowd was raucous and way too frat-y for my tastes (lots and lots of way too drunk to function pugnacious dudes), but I started to enjoy myself once Kings played current hit single “Sex on Fire”. The distorted vocals weren’t really my cup of tea but the drummer is just fantastic.

The Whigs: website | myspace | Mission Control review | @ granada theater | @ download: san francisco 2008 | @ download: philadelphia 2008 | @ monolith 2008 |
We Are Scientists: website | myspace | Brain Thrust Mastery review | @ johnny brenda’s | @ austin music hall
Kings of Leon: website | myspace | Only By The Night review

On October 25, 2008, We Are Scientists (W.A.S.) opened with The Stills for Kings Of Leon. The band is made up of two key players, Keith Murray on guitar and lead vocals and Chris Cain on bass guitar and backing vocals.

Their hour long set was filled with non-stop music that rocked the crowd in their wild science experiment. After hearing their recorded music and now hearing their live music, their live performance out weighs their recorded. W.A.S. put on an outstanding, enthusiastic, demanding, and fantastic performance with songs like “After Hours” (Brain Trust Mastery) and “Nobody Move, Nobody Get Hurt”(With Love and Squalor).

Not only did W.A.S make an impression on the people of Austin, but we happened to make an impression on them. Apparently, in the little time that they had spent in Austin before the show (their van broke down and barely got to the show in time), the people made a lasting impression of extreme kindness to the Austin foreigners. This was their only criticism that they had with our beloved city, “You all are too kind.” Having played their hearts out, on their final song they came together with their guitars to build a bonfire of music. W.A.S was in igniting flame for Kings of Leon to burn down the house.

This dynamic trio is just half way though their tour. If they make their way to your city, it is recommended by all of Austin that you go see them.

We Are Scientists: website | myspace | Brain Thrust Mastery review | live in Philadelphia

Written by: Kyle Thurin
Photos: Jessica McGinley, July 2008

We Are Scientists are not…scientists. They are, however, one of the most exciting bands to catch in concert. Keith Murray and Chris Cain, joined by Max Hart on keys and Adam Aaronson on drums, packed out Philadelphia’s Johnny Brenda’s and tore the place up.

Keith Murray

We Are Scientists, while great recorded, are far better live. An album simply cannot capture the band’s mighty energy, undeniable on-the-fly wit or just how good looking they really are. The quartet fully engaged the crowd — Keith become one with it — while blasting through a fiery set of songs from both With Love and Squalor and this year’s Brain Thrust Mastery (which we’re giving away below!). The latter will see the release of its third and final single, the “Impatience,” drop on September 8th.

Watch “Impatience”
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UH-RG1lWc0I]

Set List:
01. Nobody Move
02. Chick Lit
03. Scene Is Dead
04. Inaction
05. Impatience
06. Let’s See It
07. Cash Cow
08. Can’t Lose
09. Callbacks
10. That’s What Counts
11. After Hours (most famous song for a generation…that didn’t grow up with the first album)
12. Text Book
13. Tonight
14. Dinosaurs
15. It’s A Hit

Encore:
01. Lousy Reputation
02. Lethal
03. Great Escape

Chris Cain

Max Hart

Adam Aaronson

CONTEST!

We Are Scientists: website | myspace | Brain Thrust Mastery review | watch “Impatience”