The new album from The Script, “Science and Faith” finally hit the U.S. shore and fans witnessed very unscripted emotions. The Irish alternative band offers up an album full of emotional lyrics, but lacking any real risks in its music.
In late 2009, the Irish sensations stormed foreign shores when the single “Breakeven” hit the U.S. airwaves. All was grand and glorious for American fans until the follow-up album was released in Ireland with no steadfast United States release date; however, American fans can fret no more. The album has finally hit, but it offers slightly less than the emerging sensations are capable of.
After hearing most of the lyrics, it is clear to see that this is an album aimed at the heartbroken, but that’s not to say The Script has bottle nosed its audience. The music offered on “Science and Faith” can appeal to all audiences. The real problem comes from the musicians, who try little to distinguish songs.
One of the most noticeable flaws is the lack of a chorus that really erupts. It can be argued that the lead singer, Danny O’Donoghue, has such a soft voice that it’s really hard to have any real explosion in the songs. This is true, and O’Donoghue’s voice actually redeems a majority of the album because of the unique things he does with it. None of this is to say the album is a complete disappointment.
The songs worth hearing comprise more than half of the album and include “You Won’t Feel a Thing,” “Science and Faith,” “Deadman Walking,” “This=Love,” “Walk Away” and “Exit Wounds.” “You Won’t Feel a Thing” is one of the few non-heartbreaking songs.
It’s actually a very sweet song about someone who is willing to take every blow for his or her significant other. O’Donoghue sets the standard high for the rest of the album with some unique vocal riffs especially at the top of the chorus. “You Won’t Feel a Thing” is a fast-paced song that starts “Science and Faith” with great energy.
The title track, “Science and Faith,” comes up fourth on the album and has a great sense of percussion, but not from the drummer. The percussive impacts instead come from O’Donoghue with every verse.
Each word is hit very hard, seemingly driving the drummer on instead of the opposite. “Deadman Walking” starts off a string of four great songs in a row. This one does a great job of repetition between the words “walking” and “talking.” Repetition in words can create a very distinct effect that is used perfectly in this song. Words manage to be repeated without making up more than half the song.
The flow is really smooth during the repeated segments and really helps to drive the song forward. Coming in after “Deadman Walking” is “This=Love,” which uses repetition at the start of each line instead to diversify it from the previous track. This creates a sense of unity in the song which fits with the wonderfully peaceful meaning behind the song. “This=Love” is easily the most inspiring of the songs on Science and Faith and is one of the those songs that help get people through their days. Hot on the heels of “This=Love” is “Walk Away” which features a great rap breakdown at the start of the track.
Given all that, it is clear to see that “Science and Faith” is not a total bust, but the most dramatic elements of the album are all the unique things O’Donoghue does with his voice. If only the rest of the band would have reached the bar he set, this would have easily been one of the best albums around. There are some catchy tunes that will, no doubt, show up on radio stations and appeal to the masses, but for people looking for more than just lyrics and voices, “Science and Faith” may disappoint. Fans of The Script, on the other hand, will more than likely be content with this CD.
