Music Review: TV en Français

We Are Scientists
4/5 stars

Truth be told, I had never heard any of We Are Scientists’ music before writing this review. That said, “TV en Français” is an instantly likable album. As this marks the band’s fifth full-length record, their mature, highly developed sound shines through with well-crafted harmonies and guitar-based songcraft. However, as other critics have noted, this album may have easily come out six years ago. In many ways, “TV en Français” is textbook alt-rock, which is probably also why it’s so easy to get into.

Lead vocalist and guitarist Keith Murray has a quintessentially indie frontman voice that could just as easily place him in your older brother’s best friend’s garage band as a massively successful mainstream group (which, I suppose, places them somewhere in between). Chris Cain rocks bass that both perfectly complements and challenges Murray’s guitar melodies. Andy Burrows rounds out the trio on drums and is certainly the backbone of their catchy sound.

‘What You Do Best’ wastes no time in drawing the listener in, thumping with distorted bass and likable cheek. The highly accessible indie anthems, like ‘Make It Easy’ and ‘Dumb Luck,’ are pure head-bobbing, foot-tapping fun from the start, but don’t actually bring anything new to the table. Somehow, this isn’t off-putting or even boring. Yes, the lyrics wax cliché, but they are so classically relatable to your summer high school romance that they’re nearly impossible not to like. “Can we just agree to both stop wasting time tonight?/Every second is a second chance to get this right…Should I be embarrassed to be saying this?,” is the self-conscious opening to ‘Make It Easy,' epitomizing the balance struck between ‘been there’ and ‘can’t get it out of my head.’

‘Sprinkles’ follows and, thankfully, is unique. The band harmonizes throughout the entire song, hitting each note with neat balance and tone. ‘Slow Down’ is a bouncing, high-energy, surefire hit and a surprising picking up of the pace so late in the album. ‘Courage’ and ‘Return the Favor,’ the slowest tracks on the record, also stand out as its best, slinking into interesting rhythms and more creative melodic motifs.

Tinny, simple chords in ‘Don’t Blow It’ achieve a beachy, light sound that’s wholly enjoyable. It’s a shame the album doesn’t end on this high note, because ‘Take an Arrow’ is, frankly, forgettable. It repeats elements that worked in earlier songs and cobbles them into a limply chorus-driven song that’s disappointingly familiar.

“TV en Français” has an exuberance that is unusual of a fifth album, and in this case, it is endearing rather than disappointing. Though it isn't new territory, bright anthemic pop is a place where We Are Scientists hasn’t quite been itself. Instead of dipping into the moody, obvious attempts at depth that a band that’s been together for over a decade is wont to do, We Are Scientists has picked up the genuinely celebratory spirit you might hear on a debut. The lyrics are clever without being obscure and tend to articulate pretty universally human feelings. For example, in ‘Overreacting,’ Murray asks, “How come so many things that seem essential/Don’t affect you at all?” and later on ‘Slow Down,’ “How am I supposed to keep this up alone?/ I wish you would slow down.”

A visit to the band’s website reveals a quirky, amusing group of guys projecting a pure love of music and desire to spread the fun. So, although this particular brand of indie rock has been traversed by countless others, "TV en Français" feels genuine. On the website's front page, the band writes of the new album, “We can’t wait for you to hear these things. GODDAMMIT THEY’RE GOOD…If you’re reading this with a friend, now might be the time for a high five. If you’re in a crowded public place, consider standing up on a table, banging on your glass with a fork, and letting everybody know the good news…You’re very, very welcome.” It’s hard to argue with that much self-confidence, and I did consider their latter suggestion. Sadly, I was in Perkins, and decided that would’ve been awkward for everybody.