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Written by Rebecca Reardon Wednesday, 14 May 2008 08:05

Brain Thrust Mastery offers a bit of everything: clever writing, memorable hooks and tight harmonies.

Sometimes it's difficult to decide if someone is truly hilarious or just trying too hard. Take We Are Scientists. Their website wearescientists.com states that the band generates "rock music of the thoughtful, sometimes epic, often loud, vaguely danceable, implicitly humanist variety." Funny, yeah? There's lots of good stuff here, including the blog "Children Are Fucking Obsessed With Us." Check it out while you listen to the band's latest album, Brain Thrust Mastery. (See? Already with the funny.)

Like the WAS website, Brain Thrust Mastery offers a bit of everything: clever writing, memorable hooks and tight harmonies. The album starts with "Ghouls," a creepy-sounding track that creates a steady build of anticipation. "We all recognize that I'm the problem here," sings guitarist Keith Murray, backed by bassist Chris Cain and drummer Michael Tapper. The song immediately launches into the poppy "Let's See It." The guitar riff drove me crazy because I knew I'd heard it before. My friend Kat figured it out: theme song for Kids in the Hall." But hell, John Cougar Mellencamp's "R.O.C.K. in the U.S.A." sounds just like The Romantics' "What I Like About You." "Let's See It" still makes me want to hit the dance floor.

The third song "Spoken For" is a bit of a snooze, but hang in there until "Altered Beast" picks up the indie pace. And just as "Ghouls" sounds like an intro, the track "That's What Counts" couldn't possibly be any other track but the last one. It just has that "We're wrapping it up" sound, sort of sweet and relaxing with a Naked Eyes vibe.

My takeaway? If I picked up Brain Thrust Mastery and didn't have to review it, I'd probably skip a track or two. But overall, it's pretty fun. Just like the band. B | Rebecca Reardon

RIYL: Hot Hot Heat, The Shins, Vampire Weekend