We Are Scientists — With Love And Squalor

It must be the album title, named after a J.D. Salinger short story, that caused reviewers to classify We Are Scientists as "geek rock." Otherwise, there's nothing remotely geeky about the trio's debut. If anything, it has a bit too much material about drinking, parties and temperamental girlfriends, but for a New York City buzz band, that's probably expected. The Scientists never lose their peppy guitar-pop on this album, complementing Keith Murray's strained singing with enough grunge, screeching guitar solos, harmonious backing vocals and upbeat dance rock to make Franz Ferdinand — and a whole lot of others — proud. If mainstream radio shuns "Nobody Move, Nobody Get Hurt," there truly is no justice in this godforsaken world. 

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