Album: ‘Science & Faith’

Artist: The Script

Genre: Pop rock

Sounds Like: Overproduced clone of The Script’s self-titled debut

Soundwaves: 2/5

U.S.Release Date: Jan. 18, 2011

Irish pop-rock band The Script made a splash in America with a vintage soul sound that blended R&B undertones, pop sensibility and a rock band ethos. Following a wave of breakthrough singles ‘Breakeven’ and ‘The Man Who Wouldn’t Be Moved’ comes the three-piece outfit’s sophomore album, ‘Science & Faith.’ The band’s latest effort trades in catchy melodies and soaring choruses, which carried its debut album, for glossier production and lackluster lyrics — a move that sold the band’s soul to the proverbial Top 40 music industry devil.

Lead singer Danny O’Donoghue and company have keen ears for crafting pop hooks and almost have songwriting down to a science, but the band lacks the faith to let its unique brand of Celtic soul take the driver’s seat of the album. ‘Science & Faith’ sits shotgun to the overexerted stylings of O’Donoghue and lead guitarist Mark Sheehan. The glitzy production subdues the album’s earnest charm and overshadows the band’s lyrical ability.

Opening track ‘You Won’t Feel a Thing’ showcases both O’Donoghue’s sleek falsetto and an anthem-like chorus reminiscent of a ‘90s-era U2 that swells at the right moments and builds up the listener’s hopes for the remaining songs.

However, the album quickly stumbles back into the band’s safety net of mid-tempo rock numbers that come across as nothing more than B-sides from the band’s debut CD. ‘For the First Time’ opens with some of the only acoustic guitar on the album, but it quickly loses steam as the soft crooning of O’Donoghue transitions into a chorus-lacking energy.

‘Nothing’ has an easy-listening vibe with jangling guitar riffs and bouncy drums, but follows the same formula as the first two tracks, proving The Script’s refusal to step away from its comfort zone. The title track flows with the album’s folksy, power-pop leanings, but struggles along with a half-hearted chorus and sleepy piano chords.

It’s not until halfway through the album that the band changes up its sound with some nifty experimentation. ‘If You Ever Come Back’ is a cross between hip-hop and straightforward piano-rock, and it comes together as a full-fleshed track with single potential. After sunny, guitar-driven ballad ‘Long Gone and Moved On,’ the bluesy, hip-hop sound is replicated in ‘Dead Man Walking,’ which blends a rap-style chorus with O’Donoghue’s emotional falsetto runs.

The closing tracks of the album shed the optimism and hopeless romanticism that usually embody The Script’s charming melodies for a glass-half-empty realism. ‘This is Love’ features O’Donoghue plaintively stating, ‘It’s in the heart of a soldier as he takes a bullet on the front line’ in his best Bono impression until a rap bridge abruptly throws the song off course.’Walk Away,’ featuring B.o.B., comes across as a Jason DeRulo rip-off, and acoustic-heavy ‘Exit Wounds,’ which features both soaring highs (especially in the bridge leading to the chorus) and painfully dull lows (a chorus that sounds more shouted than sung), closes the album on a bittersweet note.

It’s too soon to say for sure, but with ‘Science & Faith,’ The Script could easily be diagnosed with a bad case of the Maroon 5 syndrome: the vast majority of the album sounds like the same song with a different chorus. The trio can write mid-tempo pop hits to climb the Billboard charts, but at least for now, they lack the imagination and diversity in their lyricism to write anything more groundbreaking.

ervanrhe@syr.edu

Published on January 16, 2011 at 12:00 pm

Contact Erik: ervanrhe@syr.edu | @therealvandyman