We Are Scientists

Chris Cain and Keith Murray’s clangorous, sugarcoated, smirking outfit We Are Scientists has been around for over a decade—but in the sped-up Brooklyn indie scene, of course, that’s several lifetimes. Recognizing their days may be numbered, Cain and Murray shook things up before the 2010 release of their fourth studio album, Barbara, by sharpening their live act. The biggest of these shifts was bringing in former Razorlight drummer Andy Burrows, who helps the band tighten up its already taut and hooky dance-rock. Given how self-assured and grooving the album is—and how effortlessly it recreates the whip-smart vibe of the band’s major-label debut—WAS may not need retirement plans just yet.

Updated 04/09/2012