Like seemingly every other band from the mid-2000s underground boom, We Are Scientists live in Brooklyn, dress in mock-nerd attire, and subsist on a steady diet of '80s albums by the likes of the Cure, Duran Duran, XTC, and the Smiths. Yet while the trio's music will draw immediate comparisons to similar-sounding contemporaries Franz Ferdinand and the Killers, that doesn't detract from the fun, lean, arty pop-punk that fills out the band's major-label debut WITH LOVE AND SQUALOR.

Economy is We Are Scientists' strong suit: most songs clock in at three to four minutes, and the whole album draws to a crashing close before the 40-minute mark. Likewise, the band demonstrates a sharp sense of songcraft, mixing edgy, angular guitar riffs with sexy, danceable rhythms and topping the combo off with hooky, infectious refrains. WITH LOVE AND SQUALOR won't win any awards for originality, but it is a strong, stylish debut that provides the perfect soundtrack for combing one's hair before a night out in the borough.

While Keith Murray (vocals/guitar), Chris Cain (bass), and Michael Tapper (drums) don a nerdy math-chic look, their glossy indie rock sound is all style. With Love and Squalor marks the band's major-label debut release for Virgin. Sure, fans of Bloc Party, the Killers, the Rapture, and Franz Ferdinand will most likely take to this snazzy 12-song set; however, We Are Scientists offer one element that the rest of the pack does not: more substance than shtick. With Love and Squalor is accessible enough for mainstream alternative rock fans, but also slick enough for those indie rock loyalists who still worship the Smiths. Album opener "Nobody Move, Nobody Get Hurt" highlights the band's sexiest side with chunky guitar hooks and a flirty, danceable chorus. Murray's nervy vocals are a near match for Gene's Martin Rossiter as he croons, "My Body is your body/I won't tell anybody/If you want to use my body/Go for it." Some might think their introduction is a bit brash, but We Are Scientists immediately succeed in keeping cool and cockiness parallel. "This Scene Is Dead" and "Callbacks" curve around punky, fist-pumping rhythms while "Worth the Wait" and "The Great Escape" toy with art rock aesthetic. Unlike the Killers' Hot Fuss, With Love and Squalor is not a pretentious package. We Are Scientists come off well in being both snide and playful. Finding that balance is what makes With Love and Squalor a solid debut. ~ MacKenzie Wilson