Brooklyn's latest hit-makers don't think they should be lumped into the ubiquitous new-wave revival. But they don't entirely mind, either.

"I think the only reason there would be a backlash is for people who don't actually listen to the music before they decide to lash back," bassist Chris Cain says in advance of We Are Scientists' first Canadian appearance, tomorrow night at Toronto's Horseshoe Tavern. "Because I don't think we sound enough like the Killers that if you owned both discs you would feel that you could save space by throwing one out. But if people hear 'here's another Killers-type band' and they say to themselves, 'well, I'm pretty tired of the Killers' - that would be a reasonable backlash situation.

"On the other hand," Cain continues, "we will greatly benefit from the fact that the Killers and half a dozen other bands created this entire scene. Because there will also be a lot of people who haven't had enough yet and are waiting for the new Killers and will go buy it."

Whether they owe a debt to the Killers or not, We Are Scientists are taking off in a hurry. As with many of their contemporaries, they first hit it big in the U.K. But before debut album With Love and Squalor had been released on this continent, they'd attracted enough mainstream attention to score a coveted gig on The Late Show.

Cain offers a typically self-effacing take on the Letterman experience. ("I think I remember the audience clapping," he recalls. "But then, they laugh at all of Dave's jokes, too - even the unfunny ones.") But he readily admits that WAS are exceeding all expectations he, singer-guitarist Keith Murray and drummer Michael Tapper had when they pulled up stakes in California and headed to New York in 2000.

"When we moved here, we would have had to be incredibly arrogant to ever believe that our band would ever be an entity that would bear any sorts of economic fruit for us," Cain says. "We had been playing for just one year at that point, and it was 100% a hobby."

After gaining a cult following with several EPs, they caught the eye of influential British DJ Steve Lamacq at last year's South by Southwest festival in Austin, Tex. Now with copious play on the BBC's Radio One and a successful U.K. tour under their belts, WAS are riding high with a major label deal and a North American album release this week.

While With Love and Squalor - a cohesive set of high-energy, low-frills dance-rock tunes - has received a positive if not euphoric response from critics, WAS are building their reputation largely as a live act. And that's at least partly due to the stage allowing them to incorporate their considerable sense of humour.

With other new-wave bands having an unfortunate tendency to take themselves too seriously, WAS do anything but - from boasting a Web site that looks like it was designed by a comedy troupe to videos that poke fun at themselves and a reluctance to give straight answers to interviewers.

"We're aware of the fact that what we do and what entertainers do in general is not very serious," Cain says of the band's humour. "So that's the official answer. The fact of the matter is we would have a lot less fun if we had to walk around acting serious all the time."

What Cain insists is not a joke - despite suggestions in some corners that it's meant to be "ironic" - is the very retro moustache that he sports, complementing Tapper's equally impressive facial hair.

"We're probably in a period where guys my age don't wear moustaches if they live in New York and work at an ad agency or something," he says amidst a lengthy dissertation on the subject. "But people all over the world wear moustaches, and 15 years ago people wore more moustaches and 50 years ago tons of people wore them. Most of the adult males in my family wear moustaches - they live in Utah.

"It's just a f---ing moustache. I grew it out of curiousity to see if I could."

That said, Cain does see a certain advantage in having it. "I'm excited about the fact that should I ever wish to switch into total anonymity, all I have to do is shave," he offers.

Probably not necessary just yet. But if We Are Scientists can duplicate their U.K. success here, it might be soon.