The ever–growing manufactured pop industry has many flaws, but perhaps it’s greatest crime is the fact that it has continued to redirected the limelight and record label resources away from a whole generation of non-manufactured acts who would otherwise be enjoying big hit singles and be celebrated by being carried shoulder-high through any town they play in. Sadly too many talented young acts have struggled to make much of a commercial impact against such odds, and far too many have slipped off the radar due to listener apathy.
It’s tempting to think of We Are Scientists as a young act, however when you check the detail and realise that Helter Seltzer is the seventh album in a fourteen year career, you realise that they’re experienced veterans. They are a band who have gone about their career in a deceptively steady manner, sometimes on the radar, sometimes just dipping below it, but always going about things methodically.
With its ten songs of guitar heavy, chorus laden, alternative pop, after repeat plays proves Helter Seltzer proves to be a durable listen. It’s a well produced, economical album, and while there’s nothing here that’s obviously tooled up to be a big hit single, there’s a reassuring deep-pile quality to it. While at a snappy ten songs long, it still boasts enough variety to remain interesting, yet it doesn’t drag itself out and overstay its welcome. We Are Scientists have mastered a formula that many attempt, but few actually get to grips with, however the fact that so many attempt to master the formula means that Helter Seltzer is in danger of getting unfairly obscured by lesser releases as 2016 year progresses. It deserves a far better fate than that, as there’s enough evidence on this album to prove that We Are Scientists have stealthily become one of the great unheralded guitar pop acts of our time.
With Helter Seltzer We Are Scientists have created an album which comes in, does its job effectively and efficiently, and just sort of seamlessly slots into a hole your life that you simply hadn’t realised was there before and you have no hope of ever finding again. Long may they continue.
Helter Seltzer is released on 100% on 22 April.
