We Are Scientists return with funky fresh Lobes

Meeting lead singer Keith Murray from his home in New York on a predictably shaky zoom call, he expressed his excitement in the run up to the funk fuelled album’s release. Their catchy sound is “ludicrously bent on maximising pleasure” and its release is perfectly timed to lighten up the lingering January gloom. The feel good sounds and danceable grooves will be very welcome.

Album highlights Operator Error and new single Settled Accounts have a funky Red Hot Chilli Pepper style vibe, and Keith explains that the band have always had a funk DNA in their playing. The main guitar hook of Settled Accounts came out of “funky noodlings” that he was playing absentmindedly.

These funk sensibilities are mixed with their trademark irreverent lyrics, it is clear that this is not a band who take themselves too seriously!

A long awaited UK and European tour follows in Spring to support their new album release culminating in a show in London’s Koko. Talking about their raucous and unpredictable live shows Keith was keen not to give away any secrets as their between song anecdotes and stage diving activities are totally unplanned and spontaneous, however he did joke that audiences will be “tearing out their hair over concern” for him.

Looking forward to their upcoming March gig at London’s Koko, a surprisingly intimate venue for a band of their stature, Keith commented on the special atmosphere that a smaller venue brings, with the communal atmosphere of having a large amount of people in a small space.

He compared their live show staging to hosting a house party where you wouldn’t want to be in too larger space, not in his mansion for example he joked where people people can wander off and do their own thing in one of the many rooms!

The band have a long history with the venue where they had played five to six times, and have a nostalgic attachment to it. There is a palpable sense of excitement to experience it new and improved after the recent refurbishment.

A band are known for their unique and fitting merchandise, in conjunction with the album they have just launched a Lobes pilsner, the “mutual band favoured flavour of beer”, which can be ordered as a bundle with the album- it’s surely a musical thirst for fans!

The band’s motto Keith jokingly remarks is “You should always make merch that you don’t mind having leftovers of”, adding that they still wear their boxers from 2005 (but they have washed them since).

This is typical of the humour that is a constant with the band particularly seen in their idiosyncratic social media presence and regular zany Instagram videos.

Keith commented that he didn’t want their social media to be just factual, only informing fans of new records and concerts- “New Album out now!”, but also adding some personality and entertainment to their communication when “transmuting information” in a way “that gets their fans attention”.

With an allergy to bring too serious, Keith expressed how seeing other bands formal social media makes him sad, something that should be joyful is often too serious.

Keith humbly apologised for the poor Zoom connection at the start of the interview, and we joked that it was an Operator Error, an apt pun for their single of the same name.

Lobes is the perfect album to dispel the current doom and gloom, and if you do get the chance to see them live this Spring it will be an exhilarating ride.

We Are Scientists got their start in the UK with their first radio play and TV performance, and as a result say that they feel like a British band, so there is a sense that these will be more home town shows for them than playing in New York – catch them while you can.