Barbara (album)

Barbara
Studio album by We Are Scientists
Released June 14, 2010[1]
Genre Indie rock
Post-punk revival
Length 31:50
Label PIAS
Master Swan
Producer Ariel Rechtshaid[2]
We Are Scientists chronology

Brain Thrust Mastery
(2008)		 Barbara
(2010)		 TV en Français
(2014)
Singles from Barbara
  1. "Rules Don't Stop"
    Released: April 5, 2010
  2. "Nice Guys"
    Released: June 7, 2010
  3. "I Don't Bite"
    Released: October 11, 2010

Barbara is the fourth studio album and fifth overall album by indie rock band We Are Scientists, released (digitally and physically) in the UK on June 14, 2010. The release was supported by lead single "Rules Don't Stop" released on April 5, 2010 and Nice Guys released June 7, 2010. Following the band's split from EMI/Virgin in November 2009, the record was released by PIAS Recordings in the United Kingdom.

Recording

Parts of the album were written by lead singer Keith Murray whilst staying between a rented cottage in Athens, Georgia, and Miami Beach, Florida.[3] Barbara was then recorded in New York, Los Angeles and London.[4][5] The album marks the first recorded with new drummer Andy Burrows, formerly of Razorlight. After Burrows parted with Razorlight in March 2009,[6] he joined We Are Scientists in August of the same year, scheduling recording sessions with them during autumn 2009.[7] The Fly reported a change in sound in the album, describing it as a "return to the stripped-down sound of the band’s debut".[5]

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source Rating
Allmusic [8]
JustPressPlay (8/10)[9]
NME (8/10) [10]
One Thirty BPM (62%) [11]

Promotion and release

During January 2010, the band played in support of the new album on their "Big Fuckin’ Deal Tour", performing three small shows in Washington, D.C., Philadelphia and New Jersey, with temporary drummer Danny Lee Allen (of Youth Group).[12] The dates were the band's first live performances since appearing at the All Points West Music & Arts Festival on August 2, 2009.[2] In an interview prior to the Washington date, bassist Chris Cain stated "I think May is looking like a fairly solid release time, although we don’t have a actual week yet", as well as describing it poppy and hook-laden.[2] Cain also confirmed that the band had parted with their record label in November 2009, with the record being released by various labels including PIAS Recordings in the United Kingdom.[13] During the performance, the band played new tracks "Jack and Ginger", "I Don't Bite", "Nice Guys" and "Rules Don't Stop".[12]

On February 8, 2010, NME, Gigwise.com and The Fly announced the release of the album in June 2010. "Rules Don't Stop" was announced as the lead single, scheduled for release on April 5, 2010. As well as this, the band performed a sold-out show at London's Hoxton Bar & Grill on February 23, 2010, as part of the NME Awards Shows and to promote the album.[1][4][14] Tickets were confirmed to sell out in less than four minutes.[5][15] The album's first music video is scheduled for shooting during late February.[2] Two live videos (Pittsburgh and Rules Don't Stop) from the Hoxton show were also released as a freebie via the website.

Second single "Nice Guys" was premiered on Zane Lowe's Radio 1 show on April 29,[16] whilst the music video was revealed on The Sun's website on April 30, 2010.[17] The third single from Barbara was announced on October 11, 2010 to be "I Don't Bite", with pictures posted on Twitter in early August of the band filming the track's music video.[18][19]

Track listing

All lyrics written by Keith Murray, all music composed by We Are Scientists, except "Jack & Ginger" by We Are Scientists and Ariel Rechtshaid.

No. Title Length
1. "Rules Don't Stop"   2:18
2. "I Don't Bite"   2:48
3. "Nice Guys"   2:56
4. "Jack & Ginger"   3:23
5. "Pittsburgh"   4:27
6. "Ambition"   3:15
7. "Break It Up"   2:57
8. "Foreign Kicks"   4:00
9. "You Should Learn"   3:04
10. "Central AC"   2:42
B-Sides
No. Title Length
1. "Goal! England" (standalone free internet download) 2:44
2. "Down the Hall" (B-side to Rules Don't Stop) 3:24
3. "Pound for Pound" (iTunes bonus track to Barbara) 2:36
4. "Rules Don't Stop (Acoustic)" (B-side to Rules Don't Stop) 2:40
5. "Nice Guys (Acoustic)" (B-side to Nice Guys) 2:58

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 "We Are Scientists announce comeback single release". NME. 2010-02-08. Archived from the original on 10 February 2010. Retrieved 2010-02-09.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 Chang, Mary (2010-01-29). "Interview: We Are Scientists (Part 1)". There Goes the Fear. Retrieved 2010-02-09.
  3. ↑ "We Are Scientists demo new album 'on the road' - video". NME. 2009-08-14. Retrieved 2010-02-09.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 Gregory, Jason (2010-02-08). "We Are Scientists To Release New Album In June". Gigwise.com. Archived from the original on 12 February 2010. Retrieved 2010-02-09.
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 "We Are Scientists New Single". The Fly. 2010-02-08. Retrieved 2010-02-09.
  6. ↑ "Andy Burrows quits Razorlight – exclusive". NME. 2009-03-05. Retrieved 2010-02-09.
  7. ↑ "Razorlight's Andy Burrows to record solo LP and join We Are Scientists". NME. 2009-08-07. Retrieved 2010-02-09.
  8. ↑ Phares, Heather. "Review: Barbara". Allmusic. Retrieved 17 June 2010.
  9. ↑ "JustPressPlay Review".
  10. ↑ "Album Review: We Are Scientists - 'Barbara' (Masterswan)".
  11. ↑ "One Thirty BPM Review".
  12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 Chang, Mary (2010-01-26). "Live Review: We Are Scientists with Uninhabitable Mansions at Black Cat, Washington DC – 21 January 2010". There Goes the Fear. Retrieved 2010-02-09.
  13. ↑ Chang, Mary (2010-02-01). "Interview: We Are Scientists (Part 2)". There Goes the Fear. Retrieved 2010-02-09.
  14. ↑ "We Are Scientists to play intimate London gig". NME. 2010-02-01. Archived from the original on 4 February 2010. Retrieved 2010-02-09.
  15. ↑ "We Are Scientists Have Rules, Play Show, Talk Horse Blankets". This Is Fake DIY. 2010-02-14. Archived from the original on 17 February 2010. Retrieved 2010-02-17.
  16. ↑ Hottest Record - We Are Scientists - 'Nice Guys' BBC, April 29, 2010
  17. ↑ New Video from We Are Scientists The Sun, April 30, 2010
  18. ↑ I Don't Bite video shoot going very well indeed! Twitter, August 6, 2010
  19. ↑ Alexa Chung Teams Up With We Are Scientists On New Single Gigwise.com, September 03, 2010

External links