We Are Scientists at XFM

6pm, Thursday 18^th March, XFM studios: 20-odd We Are Scientists fans crammed around a small window looking into the spacious depth of a recording studio. There stands Keith Murray and Chris Cain, the scientists behind We Are Scientists.

Approaching the end of their UK tour, the band have popped into Global Studios in Leicester Square to play this intimate show for Xfm. The half-hour song and chat will be aired sometime over the coming week, but right now it is purely for a special clan of fans, many of whom are the lucky winners of a competition to meet, greet and… be herded into a small room. But a small room that looks through the portal into the electric world of live-wire We Are Scientists. There was many a craned neck begging for a glimpse of Murray’s flashy, Clooney-esque smile, which seems to be indestructable.

The band played four songs in total, slipping into their trademark goonish personas in between. Cracking open the session with new song Dumb Luck, Murray’s guitar looks like it’s been given a dose of speed. But his hands and voice are in antithesis, and his melodic voice is as soothing as ever. Typically the old tunes of It’s a Hit and The Great Escape pleased the crowd no end, with those well loved harmonies a representation of the strength of We Are Scientists’ long career.

That longevity, by the way, is largely down to a strong intake of curry. There were hints that sharing a love of cinema is useful to upkeep their love and talent, and probably why they can’t seem to pinpoint particulars about any city, but ultimately curry was their credited mascot. If their name was true, a cure for the curry hangover would be first on their list.

The band ended on XFM’s most played We Are Scientists tune: Make It Easy, more sweet melodic harmonies that are so unexpected after the goofy fools who absolutely will not give you a serious, textbook answer to any of your questions. Incredibly charming, insightful and humorous, these guys don’t seem to be going anywhere.

We Are Scientists are playing at Shepherd’s Bush Empire on Thursday 20^th March, and their new album TV en Français is out now.

Alex Finch

For further information and future events visit We Are Scientists’ website here.

Watch the video for Dumb Luck here: