Sound: For anyone who doesn’t yet know, The Script is a piano/guitar/drum based trio from Dublin, Ireland. There’s no avoiding that a band like this have a great sound and, with that, a hell of a lot of talent. I’m not big on the whole 'indie’ scene usually, but The Script struck me as something different. They have a lot of power in their playing/sound unlike most bands I’ve heard from this genre (The Kooks, etc.) though this may partly be down to the album being overproduced in areas - it works, don’t get me wrong, but in a live situation for example, the band would struggle.
On small occasions, there is quite a lot of variety in the sound, but a fair few of the tracks sound very similar. The opening to 'I’m Yours’, for example, sounds very much like an earlier track, 'The Man Who Can’t Be Moved’ - the rest however is completely different. I guess you could put that down to the band’s already-established sound. The Script’s overall sound is a nice blend of 'indie’, pop and (in places, at least) urban - if you listen to 'If You See Kay’ then you’ll know what I mean. A good album in terms of sound, though some people may find parts of their material to be very samey. // 7
Lyrics and Singing: The lyrics seem heavily thought about and meaningful on this album. There are no songs about petty issues like drugs, for example, but most of the songs are about love. The lyrics that are about love are well written and are a great commercial point but they won’t appeal to certain people, particularly musicians. Whilst I’ve mentioned being a musician, I find that I’m not motivated to work any of the songs out or play along to them - this is probably because the songs are largely lyric-orientated. I thought that it was worth mentioning that for any other musicians reading this.
The vocals themselves are handled very well. Great melodies, harmonies and 'texture’. The only truly critical point that I can make about this area is the fact that the vocals are incredibly over-produced, with something like 4 or 5 voices on top of each other in area. I know some people might like this, but I don’t think it sounds great - especially when it’s done on nearly all of the tracks. // 8
Impression: From the viewpoint of a muso looking in, and as a listener, I thought this album was pretty good. Like I said, some of the songs seem to carry an all-too-familiar feel which will grate on some people, but each individual track carries a certain charm that can’t be denied. If you’re looking for something to play along to and cover, this album really isn’t the thing you’re looking for. I’d say it’s best to buy it for easy-listening. Good band, great record for a debut, worth a listen if you like bands like Scouting for Girls and The Fray. // 8
- Anthony Bentley (c) 2013
"What am I supposed to say when I'm all choked up that you're Ok"