Review: "With Love or Squalor" / We Are Scientists

Yeah. I'm biased. But I have a discerning ear nonetheless. I recently got into a lively debate over at my current favorite music blog and was accused of acting like an "industry insider" for calling this Brooklyn-based trio "well-marketed" and "media-savvy." I stand by my claims.
All that aside, edgy, intelligent dance rock is necessary and vital, and if Hot Hot Heat or Moving Units aren't around to do it, then someone else needs to carry the torch. While it easy to compare their sound to that of other New York scenesters, We Are Scientists have an informed knowledge of pop music and a sense of humour that distinguishes them from their contemporaries. No rock group has appeared to be having more fun in a video since the Beatles in "A Hard Day's Night." Songs like "Nobody Move, Nobody Get Hurt" and "Worth the Wait" characterize the sound best - fast play with angst-ridden lyrics about girls, sex, self-doubt and the emptiness of nightlife, but always upbeat and under four minutes.
You won't extended solos or extra instrumentation - the album closely resembles their near-perfect live show - but you'd be hard pressed to find a better pop record.

3.5 STARS (out of 5)