Choice Finalists '09

The Script

Debut album

Angela Macari O’Looney

One of the most recent Irish success stories is that of Alternative/Pop band, The Script who recently launched their eponymous debut album. Possessing a Midas touch when it comes to song writing, performing live and the ability to exploit that certain Irish boy charm to the max, Mark Sheehan-guitar, Daniel O’Donoghue-Lead Vocals and Glen Power-Drums, use their downright gorgeousness as they seduce audiences worldwide, introducing them to Celtic Soul with a dash of hip-hop, a slice of R’n’B and a hint of passion poured out along with the heavenly harmonies, heartrending lyrics and beautifully curved notes played and sung throughout all of their songs!
Looks charm and sexiness are all very well, but if you haven’t got an ability to come up with an infinite number of exciting songs, catchy arrangements and something to define you and prove yourself unique, the current competitive music making Industry will just eat you up and spit you out!
Their music has been described as state –of-the-art R’n’B with anthemic rock Dynamics. Having grown up in Dublin they developed an interest in Soul music, inspired by American legends such as Dallas Austin, The Neptunes and Teddy Riley. To their astonishment, Danny and Mark were invited at an early age, over to the States to collaborate with some of their idols at the recording studios. Later on Glen joined the outfit with his exciting drumming techniques. He is also a multi-musician and can play guitar and piano and has an outstanding voice. Danny the lead vocalist has such power in his voice, that he possesses this unique ability to emanate a musical instrument with his sweet vibrato-style. With Mark’s sensitively strummed guitar thrown into the mix, you find yourself coming alive and becoming infected by this music for the heart, feet and head!
It looks to me like this unpretentious band has a maturity in their creative skills that will reach out to a huge cross section of age groups and musical tastes. That in itself is a huge advantage and it’s what this act has achieved with this fine collection of songs.


Rusty Halo

A very Sting-esque type of song! It begins with a beat chopped out on stix, followed by a dramatic line ‘It’s been a long time comin’. Then there’s this delectable bass riff. Backing vocals from Glen and Mark are very effective too.
The lyrics are witty, the harmony is sweet and this is just so like the songs of eighties band The Policefronted by Sting with that baseline framing the choppy rhythm throughout. Danny does catchy chords on boards and generally makes this a very entertaining number.

Breakeven

Loads going on throughout this number!
It begins with a sweet riff, followed by a soulfully sung verse with a plucked guitar accompaniment. Then beat comes in and it builds up for the chorus with keyboards joining in the crescendo.
It’s one of my favourites for sure, with Danny’s vocal range demonstrated to great advantage in the chorus when he goes into falsetto for ‘I’m falling to pieces’!
Harmony is sung closely in the chorus and also refrains are splashed out here and there, keeping it busy and exciting!
In this song as in most of The Script’s stuff, there is a philosophy that love takes no prisoners, break-ups are never clean; ‘When a heart breaks no it don’t breakeven’!

We Cry

A mournful number with a delectable choral style intro, a bustling beat and a gorgeous riff!
This song is dramatic, rhythmic and builds up from a quietly sung verse about struggle and hardship to the memorable chorus, which has beautifully sung ‘oohs’ behind lead vocals.
The lyrics are very poignant in the current mood which is prevailing across the globe and in Ireland in particular. Powerful musically and extremely moving; this would rate as quite a masterpiece to me!

I’m Yours

Beginning with a plucked acoustic guitar, this sweet love song has a huge impact on me.
Heartbreakingly beautiful lyrics are sung in this slow number with a lovely melody line and some really memorable harmony closely sung in the chorus.
There’s a guitar break in the middle that would remind me of classical guitarist John Williams. This is so refreshing and puts this song into a whole separate genre to the rest of the pieces on this album!

Before the worst

Dramatic piano intro, with a fast moving beat building up behind!
A bending baseline adds to the sound. Verse is sung, harmony framing it and the chorus is catchy in this delicious love song. There’s lots going on in it. The melody is addictive with that change for the middle eight adding another dimension, followed by luscious piano chords lavished on the listener. Very precise with those harmonies synchronised behind the lead vocals throughout.
The message is about love ending once again filled with sentiments of regret; A symptom of relationship struggle!

Anybody there

Three four beat! Change of key as it goes into the second verse which is delightful and very memorable. Harmony lovely!
Big orchestral middle eight and the keyboards are exquisite, as are the guitars here with big drum rolls adding drama.
This song yet again, proves that The Script are capable of varying their style. The fact that they move away from hip hop/R’n’B on occasion, wins them the thumbs up from me!

If you see Kay

I’m not too sure if this title started out as a joke! F. U. C. K?
A very wittily written piece of music, with a trickling guitar riff going on behind the vocals!
Harmony blends in beautifully and the chorus is exciting. It has the most delectable notation!
The lyrics are expressively sung and tell the story of an unfinished love affair; that way that one feels when they’d like another chance to talk before calling it quits!
The twists and curves in Danny’s lead vocals with choppy drums throughout and that sweetly plucked acoustic guitar a constant! So gorgeous!
If I see Kay I’ll tell her!

Talk you down

Big piano chords and a bustling beat building up, this is another love song. The verse is sweet with nice chords behind and harmony. I find there’s a resemblance in the chord combination to a David Gray number. The wonderful glissandos and piano chords have that virtuoso quality that strikes me in the same way as all of the best musicians I’ve seen live.
I love the chorus with its simple ‘If you go I go’ bit which is addictive and has me singing it everywhere I go.
Danny does a lovely falsetto bit as he sings ‘This is relationship suicide’ and behind him the harmony is close. A busy piece of music, but very memorable!

Fall for anything

Beginning with a refrain of ‘Girl they’ll bring you down down down’, this is a lovely number. Lots of lush piano chords and harmony that’s delectable makes it really memorable.
Middle eight is done with big orchestral backing and starts off quiet, building up to a big crescendo for the final chorus.
It like all The Script’s songs has a message that touches anyone who hears it.

The End where I begin

Beginning with a lovely trickling riff and electric piano chords taking you into the verse, this number involves arpeggio-style piano notes lending a full sound to the scene and as things build up, there’s an exciting fast moving chorus.
It slows down again and the sweetly sung verse is accompanied by bashing drums. It goes back to the first line ‘Sometimes we don’t learn from our mistakes and sometimes we’ve no choice but to walk away’!

The Man who can’t be moved

I used to switch radio stations anytime I heard this number!
In my opinion it has been overplayed and that ruined its beauty and however popular The Script were, that brainwashing technique does nobody any favours, least of all a prospective audience. But since listening to it properly, without it being rammed down my throat, I feel that it has been redeemed and then some!
Like all their music, this is a song of a long lost love with emotionally sung lyrics. It has a softly played plucked acoustic guitar intro, followed by the verse.
The chorus is upbeat but sweet. Danny’s falsetto range is once again showed off here.
I love the little dramatic pull back of instruments, at the part where they sing ‘The day, the month, the year’!
Key change in the middle eight which has such moving words; ‘There are no holes in his shoes, but a big hole in his world’.
Backing vocals really effective as the last big chorus is done. Then it goes back to the romantic line that took you into the song, with the trickling riff behind. Bass and lead get full marks as both frame everything with sensitively plucked notes. Written by Andrew Frampton, it’s a tear jerking classic that is actually one of the nicest songs that has been in the Irish charts over that last few years. And Yes! I’ve definitely turned around!