Album- #3
Artist- The Script
The pop rock tunes of The Script have been satisfying
audiences for quite a few years now since their mega hits “The Man Who Can’t Be
Moved” and “Breakeven”. With this album they continue with their signature
sound but are also supposedly going deeper emotionally, and as the title
suggests, with this third studio album should come a progression in their
ability as artists.
Track 1- Good Ol’
Days
The opening track is a rowdy affair that invokes the sense
of their Irish roots. The song has a fast paced, kinetic feel through the vocal
rap style of the track, with the “ooooh” motif of the song being addictive. The
lyrics are alla bout reflecting on the past and although the rap style is a
little annoying the band use some cool imagery to express how the song is truly
a reflection of the bands past. The booming bass and light guitar based sound
makes for a stadium ready track, which is also expressed through the crowd
screaming moments in the song. Yet whilst the track is good, with Danny O’Donoghues
light vocals giving a sense of believability, the songs chorus and hook isn’t strong
enough to warrant a powerful crowd pleasing moment.
3/5
Track 2- Six Degrees
of Separation
Inspired by lead singer Danny’s break up with his long term
girlfriend is an emotion pop rock ballad that features some soft and delicate
vocals that feature a kind of grainy tone in the chorus and have that true
sense of vulnerability. The track is lyrically all about the disintegration of
a relationship, with the band highlighting how six things will happen after the
break up, and the only person who can really help you is yourself. The chorus
is nice in that it has this sense of determination and retrospective as well as
the idea of being hurt, and so taps in well to the human psyche. The chorus is
also recall catchy and sets off the lyrical and vocal slowness of the verses
really nicely. Whilst the guitar and drum based sound of the song is quite
generic, the production still works in giving off that sense of sadness that
the relationship has ended, despite the stereotypical edge.
3.5/5
Track 3- Hall of Fame
(will.i.am)
The third track and lead singer is a powerful record with a
strong piano melody and orchestral sounds with flourishes of electro pop and a
pounding bass beat. The song is strong in terms of the duet style of the track,
with Danny’s and will.i.am’s vocals melding together nicely and giving a punchy
edge to the track. The song speaks of just doing your best in the world and
pushing yourself, cause one day you will see the rewards. Although clichés are definitely
employed the ideology of the track is a positive one that many will latch on
to, and the chorus is strong in terms of it’s lyrical structure and catchiness.
The song is also cool in terms of production, with the use of piano and drums
giving a darker undertone to the number that gives a slight serious edge,
making for a more dramatic listen.
4/5
Track 4- If You Could
See Me Now
The most personal song on the record is a powerful number
inspired by the deaths of close loved ones of two of the bands members. The
track will definitely resonate with many listeners in terms of tapping into
that idea of wishing those you have lost could see what you have become. And
the song is strong in terms of the emotional simplicity of chorus and
catchiness of the hook. However the problem with this song is that the
seriousness of the track is undercut by the use of rapping that just feels
disjointed and distracts from the songs message. The vocals are strong, with a
nice change of pace coming in the form of some vocals from guitarist Mark
Sheehan. The production is annoyingly pop rock stereotype but sits on a nice
piano melody and so is saved a little.
3/5
Track 5- Glowing
The track opens with a powerful piano based instrumentation
and clattering beats that give a strong fast paced energy to the song.
Lyrically the track is all about how Donoghue will do anything for this girl
because she just makes him feel so good, and although again the band focus on cliché
in many sections of the track, the naturally lights tone of Donoghue’s gives
the songs a light and euphoric charm that makes for a catchy rather than
annoying listen. The track also features some powerful drum beats that make for
a rousing energy to the song, and the bridge allows for a powerful finish in
terms of the final chorus.
4/5
Track 6- Give the
Love Around
With an opening that sounds like an old school record just
beginning to be played, this song is a mid tempo sweet ode to love and is
lyrically all about how you should just show love to everyone around you,
because if everyone did that the world would be better cause it would be like a
cyclical thing. The fast paced energy of the song’s lyrics makes the ideology
of the song more potent. And the chorus has a catchy energy with a memorable
quality. Keeping the song at a monotone level is cool, and the clattering beats
and orchestral sounds of the song give a nice chilled groove to the song. The
only annoying bit is the bridge, which again features annoying rap that is just
so bad it’s sad.
3.5/5
Track 7- Broken Arrow
The song is all about how it is hard to keep on the right
path within the world. It opens up with a cool guitar riff that gives a cool
acoustic feel to the song. Then the drums and vocals kick in and the song is
just so annoying. The rap needs to stop, period. And the chorus just doesn’t have
the catchy feel of the previous numbers, feeling a little bit convoluted.
Furthermore, the production is again another pop rock based sound that is so
bland, with the only interesting thing being the small violin undertones.
2/5
Track 8- Kaleidoscope
The more electric guitar based sound of this song is a
welcome change of sound and means this track isn’t as boring as it could have
been. The “ohh woo” ad libs employed make for a catchy quality within the song,
and the vocals are cool in that Donoghue reaches into his higher register,
maybe not too great effect, but still showing diversity and making the track
seem more real. The song is all about how this girl brings light and colour
into Donoghues world, and although it’s a cheesy statement, the chorus sounds
sweet, and that electric guitar gives a great, almost propulsive energy to the
number.
3.5/5
Track 9- No Words
The more down tempo, sombre tone to this piece gives an
almost haunting tone to the track (although not quite as powerful as that). The
song is all about how no words can explain the power of this girl or the
feelings that Donoghue has. The track is cool lyrically in terms of cultural
references, and although the bridge features another annoying rap, the vocals
overall are stronger, and the darker, moodier production with the orchestral
sounds and simple but powerful bass make for a cool listen overall.
3/5
Track 10-
Millionaires
The final track is a sweet end that is all about the band
just having fun and acting as if they are millionaires cause in their hearts
the world is there oyster. The lyrics feel more potent, the production is
stronger, and the raps aren’t annoying cause they aren’t as in your face. It’s
difficult to figure out why but this is just a really good end.
3.5/5
Final Review
The Script is both a great band but are also so
annoying!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! This is because although their pop rock based sound is
cool and there have a firm belief in how they are as a group that allows for a
cohesive record, in many cases the production just becomes too similar for each
track and the pop rock sound just feels generic. Furthermore, the rapping
employed within the album as a whole is just really appalling. I don’t know if
they are trying to get urban credentials but they definitely should just stick
to well-rounded songs based on lyrics that are sung and not rapped. A few
strong tracks but otherwise not an album I would recommend buying.
5/10
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