''Barbara'' is the third studio album by

indie rock Indie rock is a Music subgenre, subgenre of rock music that originated in the United Kingdom, United States and New Zealand in the early to mid-1980s. Although the term was originally used to describe rock music released through independent reco ...

band We Are Scientists, released (digitally and physically) in the UK on June 14, 2010. The release was supported by singles "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

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in the United Kingdom.

Background and recording

In March 2008, We Are Scientists released its second studio album '' Brain Thrust Mastery'' through EMI Records. It was a moderate commercial success, and charted at number eleven on the UK Albums Chart. Some critics dismissed the album as inconsistent and a let down when compared to the band's 2005 debut '' With Love and Squalor''. Dom Gourlay of '' Drowned in Sound'' in particular wrote: "''Brain Thrust Mastery'' was a largely forgettable experience ... it reeked of a record overshadowed by record company interference whose ultimate aim was instant payback via radio playlisting and that all-important monster hit". We Are Scientists lead singer Keith Murray said the band had some steep financial obligations at the time, and were advised by management to release another album quickly as to relieve themselves of these obligations. Murray also noted there was in fact some interference from EMI: Before recording ''Brain Thrust Mastery'', longtime drummer Michael Tapper left We Are Scientists. For the next few years, the band performed with several interim drummers before settling on Andy Burrows. At the time, Burrows had left his previous band Razorlight, and the two members of We Are Scientists asked him to join the band. Murray said while he and bassist Chris Cain had become great friends through touring, the duo never felt like a true band. According to Murray: "Doing it with Andy it felt like a band again it felt like 3 dudes who wanted to run into a room and be loud, be crazy, and also finish up so we could go to the pub together and hang out and forget everything we had rehearsed. It was definitely rejuvenating to have him". Murray wrote the majority of the songs on ''Barbara'' whilst staying between a rented cottage in

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, and Miami Beach, Florida. ''Barbara'' was then recorded at various studios in

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and

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. Rechtshaid produced the album, while Dana Nielsen and Mike Boden served as the engineers. The recording sessions for ''Barbara'' proved difficult for the band members, as they dealt with what Cain described as "a lot of label-juggling, a lot of management juggling".

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.,

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and

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, with temporary drummer Danny Lee Allen (of Youth Group). The dates were the band's first live performances since appearing at the All Points West Music & Arts Festival on August 2, 2009. 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 an actual week yet", as well as describing it poppy and hook-laden. Cain also confirmed that the band had parted with their record label in November 2009, with the record being released by various labels including

in the

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. During the performance, the band played new tracks "Jack and Ginger", "I Don't Bite", "Nice Guys" and "Rules Don't Stop". On February 8, 2010, ''

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'', 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

's Hoxton Bar & Grill on February 23, 2010, as part of the ''NME'' Awards Shows and to promote the album. Tickets were confirmed to sell out in less than four minutes. The album's first

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is scheduled for shooting during late February. 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. The third single from Barbara was announced on October 11, 2010 to be " I Don't Bite", with pictures posted on

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in early August of the band filming the track's music video.Alexa Chung Teams Up With We Are Scientists On New Single
Gigwise.com, September 03, 2010

Track listing

;B-Sides

References

External links

Official website

What's The Word
{{Authority control We Are Scientists albums 2010 albums Albums produced by Ariel Rechtshaid