Jammerzine has an exclusive interview with the musically juxtaposed juggernauts known as We Are Scientists. We talk with Keith Murray, one of the two scientists. And everyone knows that one out of two scientists recommend good music and the other scientist would add that if you don’t listen to the first one it’s because you’re a d*ck.
Having said that, we get a chance to get inside the mind of a musical mastermind and delve into the world of creative songwriting and the creative process therein, near future plans and possible touring (hmm?) as well as ‘Huffy‘, the new album by We Are Scientists, releasing today!
‘Huffy’
‘Huffy’ is an album that I guarantee that you will listen to from start to finish. Well, you will also probably do that thing I do where you slide the progress bar back, then back again, to get those ‘f*ck yeah’ moments even deeper into your brain. This is one of those memorable albums you only get to hear a few times a year. Dare I say ‘future classic’?
The album starts off with a bang. ‘You’ve Lost your Shit’ is the perfect album opener. The title alone will give you that warm and fuzzy feeling you get when you hear something and think to yourself ‘I’m not the only one with those thoughts. I think I can be a vlogger now.’
But, what we get, and get continuously through each and every track is an album that never lets up or lets you down. Each song taking you just a bit higher up that mountain. Closer to the edge. Yet, never lets you jump. It just leaves you there to enjoy the view with just a tad bit more color in your head.
Listen to the interview about ‘Huffy’ for a bit of an inside story on some of the tracks. You won’t be disappointed.
About We Are Scientists
American rock band We Are Scientists debuted in the early aughts with the angular post-punk edge of With Love and Squalor, later evolving to incorporate polished synths and expanded atmospherics on efforts like Helter Seltzer and Megaplex. Although modestly popular in America, the band was a hit in the U.K., where its sound — part post-punk revival and part indie rock with a touch of ’80s synth pop — drew parallels to contemporaries like Editors, Franz Ferdinand, Interpol, and The Killers.
Formed on the West Coast by three California-based college students, We Are Scientists officially took flight after front-man Keith Murray, bass player Chris Cain, and drummer Michael Tapper (who replaced founding drummer/vocalist Scott Lamb) relocated to Brooklyn and began building a small but devoted following. After releasing three EPs and one independent album — Safety, Fun, and Learning (In That Order) — the group signed with Virgin Records and released its major-label debut, With Love and Squalor, in early 2006. The effort peaked at ten on the Billboard Heatseekers chart and eventually was certified gold in the U.K.
In 2008, We Are Scientists — reduced to a duo comprising Cain and Murray after Tapper parted ways with the group — put out its second full-length album, Brain Thrust Mastery. Produced by Ariel Rechtshaid, the set included the singles “After Hours” and “Chick Lit.” As before, the record found popularity in the U.K., where it debuted at number 11 on the albums chart. The band toured heavily in support, playing a number of European festivals and opening shows in America for Kings Of Leon. As We Are Scientists prepared to record a third album, former Razorlight drummer Andy Burrows joined the lineup, and the revised band unveiled itself with the release of 2010’s Barbara. That year, founding members Cain and Murray also appeared in their own series of comedy shorts, Steve Wants His Money, which aired on the Internet and ran in segments on MTV.
In late 2012, the band entered the studio in New York with producer Chris Coady (Beach House,Gang Gang Kids, Blonde Redhead) to record sessions for its fourth record. relocated to the city from England while he worked with Murray and Cain to write and record tracks for the album. Titled TV en Français, it arrived in early 2014 on 100%/Dine Alone Records and featured appearances by Rose Elinor Dougall (Mark Ronson) and Tim Wheeler (Ash).
In 2016, We Are Scientists returned with their fifth studio album, Helter Seltzer, produced by Max Hart (of Katy Perry’s band). The effort charted in the Top 50 of the U.K. and Scottish charts. They returned in 2018 with their sixth effort, the polished Megaplex, also produced by Hart. Megaplex featured the singles “Heart Is a Weapon,” “Not Another Word,” and “Your Light Has Changed.”
James Christopher Monger & Andrew Leahey.
Featured image by Danny Lee Allen.
LINKS:
http://wearescientists.com
https://100percent.it/GetHuffy
https://www.facebook.com/wearescientists
https://www.instagram.com/wearescientists
https://twitter.com/wearescientists
https://open.spotify.com/artist/35YNL4wwv11ZkmeWWL51y7
https://soundcloud.com/we-are-scientists
https://www.youtube.com/user/wearescientists
