We Are Scientists

Sorry for the lack of posts recently. With both Kyle and I traveling so much recently it made it difficult to post anything. I've returned now after 2 weeks of vacation in South America. I must say that it is an amazing continent (Argentina and Chile at least) and I highly recommend it as a vacation destination. I've been journaling about it here if you care to read.

Anyways, on to the music. The amount of time I spent on planes and buses the past two weeks gave me a chance to listen to quite a bit of music. I'll just focus on one cd that I've really been into recently. The band is We Are Scientists. The album is Brain Trust Mastery, released about a month ago.

The way I would describe the album is to say that if you asked someone to combine the music of the past 25 years into one album, this is what it might sound like. Their sound has big influences of 80s new age, 90s pop, and 2000 indie movements all rolled together. I think it really comes together well and offers a little for fans of all of the different genres. I like the fact that they incorporate some synth and electronic sounds, but it's not overdone. They also get big points in my book for not using one of my least favorite musical instruments of all time; the electronic drums that were so popular in the 80s.

Personally, I think the strongest track is easily "Let's See It", which has a great guitar riff and upbeat tempo that's impossible to not like. If you're looking for a summer anthem, I suggest checking out this song. Every time it comes on in the car I make sure the windows are down and the systems cranked (spring in Arizona is basically the same as summer anywhere else anyways).

That's not to say the rest of the album isn't solid as well. There's a nice diversity in the tracks and the album doesn't become repetitive or boring. I'll put up a couple other tracks to give you more of a taste, but I definitely recommend checking out the whole album. I know its early, but this is one of the strongest albums I've heard from '08 so far.

We Are Scientists - Let's See It


We Are Scientists - Spoken For


We Are Scientists - Dinosaurs


-Alec

Minus the Bear

I'm heading to Germany tomorrow for a little bit of a cross between pleasure and work. Pleasure in the fact that I have the weekends on both ends...work during the week in between. And by work I hopefully mean shaking hands and drinking Kolsch beer. Haha, I somehow doubt that. What connects Minus the Bear to Germany? Well, when I lived in Switzerland, Menos El Oso by Minus the Bear was one of my favorite albums.

Menos El Oso is a great album to walk around and people watch to, stare out of trains and watch the scenery go by to, and headbang in your underwear to. The album is a little bit of a darker indie. Electronic beats mixed with an actual drummer provide the backbone. An almost monotone singing makes the songs 'pulse' along to keep your pace up on your 'people-watching' walk. I also really like that they are a little bit mathematical in their indie-rock. What I mean by that is that they don't always hit their notes right on the 4/4 beat. They mix in backbeat feels, sped up fills, and timing that keeps you guessing.

'Memphis and 53rd' is one of my favorite tunes. It incorporates a lot of the themes that I mentioned before, adds some ambience, and supplements with some tight guitar licks. 'Pachuca Sunrise' is a little bit sunnier than most of the tracks on the album...maybe it's just the name? It adds more of an upbeat, pop element to an otherwise darker sounding CD. 'The Game Needed Me' is the opener that will bring you back to the true Minus the Bear feel...silky, pulsing, a little bit off kilter, and brilliant.

Minus the Bear - Memphis and 53rd

Minus the Bear - Pachuca Sunrise

Minus the Bear - The Game Needed Me