Photo by: mercylounge.com
Alternative Irish trio The Script are back with their sophomore album Science and Faith, introduced to Ireland’s music scene Sept. 10 with its single, “For The First Time,” which was released Sept. 3. It reached the Top Five on the Official Charts in the UK in its first week.
Although Science and Faith has yet to be released in the United States, it is highly anticipated after the band stole American music lovers’ hearts with previous singles, “The Man Who Can’t Be Moved” and “Breakeven,” from their self-titled debut album in 2008.
Lead singer Danny O’Donoghue serenades listeners with his signature raspy voices and forces us to crumble at his lyrics aimed at love and loss. Science and Faith touches on the personal struggle the three Dubliners experienced along their journey to stardom, as well as Ireland’s burdened economic and social state.
“Irish people have soul,” said O’Donoghue, on the band’s official website. “It comes from generations of pain, and generations of understanding emotion to be able to physically get that in a solid sound.”
Science and Faith consists of 10 tracks, showcasing O’Donoghue’s vocals, which have been compared to U2 and Sting, music greats. It is an understatement to say that O’Donoghue is vocally talented, yet it is the combination of his sound and soulful lyrics that make this album worth a listen.
It’s easy to relate to The Script’s messages. In “For the First Time,” the lyrics tell the story of a couple dealing with unemployment and forced to rely on their love to keep them together. “Nothing,” “Long Gone and Moved On” and “Walk Away” are break-up songs that resonate with anyone who has gone through heartbreak. “Dead Man Walking” and “Exit Wounds” hold a gloomier theme, yet they are two of the most powerful and memorable tracks on the album.
As dramatic as it may be, Science and Faith isn’t just an album consisting of anthems geared towards breaking up and making up. Instead, it is a well-formulated testimony to holding onto feelings of hope and faith in today’s struggling economy and wounded social climate.
