With the emphatic title of Brain Thrust Mastery, We Are Scientists’ latest title would seem to befit the music found on their debut album, With Love In Squalor.

It’s a loud, brash sentiment that goes in keeping with the cheesy videos they made to tie in with the seminars - a feature of their previous UK tour. It would fit alongside With Love…’s geek rock’ that had many in Blighty revelling in their every move – especially The Great Escape and Nobody Move, Nobody Get Hurt and the odds and sods compilation, Crap Attack.

The main issue to arise with With Love… was its lack of depth and varied styles, as the album was a mere “First Statement™”, recorded to sound exciting live and give the group a platform to build upon. While there may still be elements of brash behaviour on show on their latest album, there are also plenty of moments to mull over and find over a space of time, rather than in one forty minute rush.

This statement of intent was first laid out on first single, After Hours, with the acoustic guitar, mid-tempo pace and a sound that could easily be described as ‘mature’, it swiftly divided opinion whilst finding new fans in the mainstream market.

People who are still sceptical of this new sound may not find comfort in the remaining ten songs on show, with there being hardly any remnants of the old WAS sound left. The distinct guitar sound of the past is present on Tonight, but it’s about as far as it goes. The lyrical content has even moved away from the drunken parties and youthful abandon and shifted toward relationships and romance – Spoken For steps into sweet ballad territory, both musically and lyrically.

Even the distinctly eighties disco sounds of Chick Lit that have a feint whiff of 2005 on their cheap aftershave doesn’t quite feel like the old WAS. It’s a fuller sound, richer in both texture and ideas. It doesn’t quite have the layers of an onion (or Shrek), but it is one heck of an effort. Final track That’s What Counts incorporates saxophones into a sound that could’ve so easily been left sparse as a three piece.

It’s a huge diversion, and even borders on giving Keith Murray and Chris Cain a job as soft-core pornography movie composers if their conventional employment becomes too dull.

There’s no reason why it should though, as Impatience shows a route forward for the group that is both bold with its stamping drumbeat and the urgent guitar strumming, and a clear indication of the bands’ aspirations for bigger things. If it isn’t released as a single, then someone’s head needs to be thoroughly examined at record company HQ.

Improvements can still be made with tracks such as Let’s See It, that switches between being a self-assured follow up to the electrostatic, churchyard vibe of opener Ghouls, and a tired, obvious musical route to take in this day and age. The changes of momentum with additional “Oh”ing at the bridge is a good touch, but is one moment appealing, before being massively irritating.

It’s not the case with Lethal Enforcer that has single territory with its cool new wave sentiments, and the riotous nature of Dinosaurs. With an exaggerated breakdown sequence that stretches the song toward the four-minute mark when it could’ve been left as a swift punk one-two, it again shows how the group have looked to change their style.

Brain Thrust Mastery isn’t exactly flawless, but it is a wholly refreshing change for a group who were once seen as rather one-dimensional. They’ve dared to experiment and show their real personality as well as opening up their musical career to vast, exciting new levels.

It may be a tough thing to get used to after their rifle-quick tunes and even quicker wit in interviews, but We Are Scientists really do need to be treated as serious contenders.