With Love and Squalor

1	Nobody Move, Nobody Get Hurt 3:12
2	This Scene Is Dead 3:43
3	Inaction 2:32
4	Can't Lose 3:31
5	Callbacks 2:02
6	Cash Cow 2:35
7	It's a Hit 3:26
8	The Great Escape 3:18
9	Textbook 4:01
10	Lousy Reputation 2:35
11	Worth the Wait 2:43
12	What's the Word 3:17

Barnes & Noble

Using New York indie rock clubs as their lab, the trio We Are Scientists perfected the formula found on their debut, With Love and Squalor, the ingredients of which include: big spiky riffs, inescapable hooks, and emotive vocals. The band also bring a welcome sense of humor to the mix -- from the kittens on their CD cover to their very funny web site and music videos. Jokes, for the most part, stay out of the lyrics, making way for tales of lust and debauchery with a permeating air of late-20s ennui (song titles include "The Scene Is Dead" and "Inaction"). All these elements are in full effect on the album's knockout opener, "Nobody Move, No One Gets Hurt," a song dripping with detached irony and a chorus the Killers would, um, kill for. Other scenester jams include "It's a Hit," "Cash Cow," and the album's other standout, "The Great Escape." The band's dispassionate air may leave you wanting a little more substance, but With Love and Squalor still makes for a good party album...for those too cool to dance. Bill Pearis

All Music Guide

While Keith Murray (vocals/guitar), Chris Cain (bass), and Michael Tapper (drums) don a nerdy math-chic look, their glossy indie rock sound is all style. With Love and Squalor marks the band's major-label debut release for Virgin. Sure, fans of Bloc Party, the Killers, the Rapture, and Franz Ferdinand will most likely take to this snazzy 12-song set; however, We Are Scientists offer one element that the rest of the pack does not: more substance than shtick. With Love and Squalor is accessible enough for mainstream alternative rock fans, but also slick enough for those indie rock loyalists who still worship the Smiths. Album opener "Nobody Move, Nobody Get Hurt" highlights the band's sexiest side with chunky guitar hooks and a flirty, danceable chorus. Murray's nervy vocals are a near match for Gene's Martin Rossiter as he croons, "My Body is your body/I won't tell anybody/If you want to use my body/Go for it." Some might think their introduction is a bit brash, but We Are Scientists immediately succeed in keeping cool and cockiness parallel. "This Scene Is Dead" and "Callbacks" curve around punky, fist-pumping rhythms while "Worth the Wait" and "The Great Escape" toy with art rock aesthetic. Unlike the Killers' Hot Fuss, With Love and Squalor is not a pretentious package. We Are Scientists come off well in being both snide and playful. Finding that balance is what makes With Love and Squalor a solid debut. MacKenzie Wilson