| Brain Thrust Mastery | 
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Avg. Customer Rating:   (based on 4 reviews)
Sales Rank: 4411
Category: Music
Artist: We Are Scientists
Publisher: Astralwerks
Studio: Astralwerks
Manufacturer: Astralwerks
Label: Astralwerks
Format: Enhanced
Media: Audio CD
Discs: 1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.2
Dimensions (in): 5.6 x 5 x 0.5
EAN: 5099952132223
ASIN: B0016CP39O
Release Date: May 13, 2008
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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| Tracks:
| • | Ghouls | | • | Let's See It | | • | After Hours | | • | Lethal Enforcer | | • | Impatience | | • | Tonight | | • | Spoken For | | • | Altered Beast | | • | Chick Lit | | • | Dinosaurs | | • | That's What Counts |
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| Editorial Reviews:
Album Description
Limited Edition bonus CD includes 7 live tracks from Union Chapel in London, November 23rd.
Amazon.co.uk
Brooklyn's We Are Scientists make it to their second album, Brain Thrust Mastery, a man down--drummer Michael Tapper departed the band in late 2007-?but with a new sound and a refreshed ambition. While 2005's With Love and Squalor marked them out as The Strokes' preppier cousins, lean guitar-indie with arch lyrics and driving tempos, Brain Thrust Mastery has more than rehash on its mind. It's an album that's both bigger and poppier than its predecessor--see gleaming first single "After Hours"--but also eager to experiment and branch out. The opening "Ghouls" echoes fellow Brooklynites TV on the Radio, a synthetic mesh of ticking rhythms, dubby bass and multi-tracked vocals, frontman Keith Murray singing: "We all recognise/That I'm the problem here", while "Lethal Enforcer" is a sly piece of '80s pop revivalism that somehow channels the smooth synths and echoing drums of Phil Collins without quite tipping over into kitsch. There's the occasional dropped ball here--"Spoken For", a serene, Tropicalia-tinted love ballad is interrupted around the mid-point by some unnecessary, pompous flying-V action--but on the whole, this is smart pop music that's clever but crucially, seldom clever-clever. --Louis Pattison
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| Customer Reviews:
Worse, but not bad August 30, 2008
Their first album will always be dear to me, and I don't think their is a single misstep on it. I would almost say that about this one, except I could do without the slow song and a few chord combinations fall a little flat. That having been said, this one clearly does not rock out with the hooks quite as hard as the previous album. I like this album and can enjoy it just fine, with a few songs that do really rock hard, but overall it is simply not as dynamic. I do not however think their new style is all that different; maybe they added a few embellishments of keyboard or other new instruments, but overal this is the same ole band, just having a classic sophomore slump before they come back strong again.
 Different... but different is good in this case. June 21, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
This new record isn't the We Are Scientists we were used to. The band has really grown and developed their sound. There are not many bratty pop songs compared to past releases, but rather many brooding, moody tracks... Much more complex as well.
At first the new sound was jarring, but over time it's really grown on me, and that's usually a sure sign that an album has legs. The melodic hooks are still there, the punchy drums remain, they're just steeped in a lot of additional sounds and riffs. Some tracks like 'Let's See It' still start with a strong catchy guitar run, but the vocals are more sing-songy.
There is more of a synthpop influence in the music as well. Something along the lines of a happier New Order with a bit of The Smiths in the melody. Tracks like 'Lethal Enforcer' are straight up new wave.
'Brain Thrust Mastery' is an excellent deviation from the mainstream, and a sign of even greater things to come.
A Step Up From 'With Love And Squalor' May 15, 2008
0 out of 2 found this review helpful
We Are Scientists has done it again, with their sophomore album, 'Brain Thrust Mastery'. Those hoping for 'With Love and Squalor 2' will be let down, because is a very different sound. Which is a good thing. Although the drummer did leave, this is still a great rock album.
HIGHLIGHTS
Let's See It
Leather Enforcer (My Personal Favorite)
Impatience
Altered Beast
 Brain Thrust Mastery: Witty Good Time May 14, 2008
Brooklyn based band We Are Scientists (Keith Murray and Chris Cain) follow up their winning debut with this second album of 80's New Wave inspired music. Guitar rock and synthpop are pretty evenly distributed throughout the 11 tracks included here, with Sparks being the band that mostly comes to mind as being a possible major influence, as they share that band's penchant for the satirical and the goofy, as well as their love of a good hook. Not all the material hits the mark, but in general Brain Thrust Mastery is a witty good time from a band that thankfully doesn't take much seriously, except maybe showing their listeners a bit of fun. Standout cuts: "After Hours," "Lethal Enforcer," "Impatience" and "Chick Lit."
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