Review Summary: Just mainstream pop-rock or there is more?
Even since the debut album appeared, “The Script” demonstrated that they have enough potential in order to represent more than a mainstream pop-rock band. Their music is characterized by a mix of different styles, including pop, indie, rap and rock. This mix resulted into catchy songs that dignify the vocals but also have a decent instrumental support. The band’s second album, “Science and Faith”, can be looked as a successful follow-up for the debut album, but is also a sign that the trio wishes to lay emphasis on the vocals rather than on the instrumental.
The first track of the album is “You won’t feel a thing”, one of a few songs in which the instrumental is more developed. Two guitar tracks compose the intro, creating a path for the vocals. Including the melodic line with good placed accents in verse and bridge, the result is a very good song. “For the first time” introduces a very different atmosphere, where the “rack” consists of both the piano chords and melodic line. There are also some rap lyrics that contribute to the song’s dynamism.
“We both now how, How we're going to make it work when it hurts, when you pick yourself up you get kicked to the dirt”
The next track is called “Nothing”, which is, to my mind, the perfect example of a mainstream catchy song which gains commercial success. The lyrics are very easy to memorize as they are set on a cheered-up melody, which is accompanied by a guitar and some piano interventions. Although it doesn’t remark with its complexity, “Nothing” turns out to be one of the best songs of the album. Another reason that makes this album worth-listening is the song called “If You Ever Come Back”. The rhythm confers prominence, a fact that also appears in case of the first track. Moreover, combining the melodic vocals with the rap ones is a strong point.
The songs which have been already described are what makes this album worth-listening and they give continuity to the style of their older songs, such as “The man who can’t be moved” or “Breakeven”. However, this album also contains songs in which musical clichés are used several times, especially when it comes to vocals. This is the album’s weak point, an argument to suggest that The Script tend to superficiality. “Long Gone and Moved On” is a song with a pleasant melody, but which “borrowed” some parts from “Nothing”. The guitar intro from “Science and Faith” can become irritating for the listener from a certain point. Songs like “Exit Wounds” or “This=love” seem that they are only made to fill up the album. In “Walk away”, the rap parts are dominant, fact that destroys the melody. There is one more song on the album, which is called “Dead Man Walking” and it can be considered the borderline between the strong part of the album and the weak one. It turns out to be the kind of melody that gets stuck into your head, but certain high notes demonstrate the vocal performances of Danny O’Donoghue.
Musically, although it is a simple album, there are songs which come into prominence. Although the songs are written into a overused style of pop-rock, The Script gave originality to this album, they maintained their style. Lyrically, the themes are very overused: relationship problems, love, break-ups and stuff like that. As an example:
"Am I better off dead?
Am I better off a quitter?
They say I'm better off now
Than I ever was with her"
To sum up, “Science and Faith” is a musical effort with both good and bad points. However, it still keeps the band’s original style. I give 3.0 to this album.
Reccomended tracks:
You Won’t Feel A Thing
Nothing
If You Ever Come Back
For The First Time
