Album Review: "The Script" - The Script

Vacancy: for radio-friendly pop act which will appeal to everyone from the trendy kids to the kind of people who only buy their albums in Tesco.

Ladies and gentlemen, The Script. Vacancy now filled.

In recent weeks, this Irish trio who call their music ‘Celtic soul’ have taken the UK charts by storm. This debut album has gone to no.1 in the album charts, whilst second single "The Man Who Can’t Be Moved" has been kept off the top by that Katy Perry tripe.

The band are no overnight success, as they have significant experience as producers and session musicians.

Debut single "We Cry" opens the album, and I still have a love-hate relationship with this song, sometimes I like it and sometimes it completely annoys me. You can’t deny that "The Man Who Can’t Be Moved" is a smashing little song, with well-thought-out lyrics that tell an interesting story.

I read a recent interview with The Script in which they said that their name reflects their emphasis on good songwriting and storytelling. I’d agree that they’ve put a lot of work into the songs on this album, which is a very strong and confident debut indeed. There are also other potential singles - the album’s standout track "Before The Worst", and "The End Where I Begin".

You can’t really pigeonhole The Script, one minute they’re pop, then they’re rock, then they’ve got these little hiphop moments and then they just go into nice ballad mode (two goodies at the end: "I’m Yours" and "Anybody There") They even manage to be just a little subversive at times: "If You See Kay" (say that song title, see what I mean).

I like this album a lot, but that’s the problem I have with it. The whole thing sounds as if it’s been ruthlessly designed for world domination. There’s just something a bit sinister about it all. Or maybe it’s just because they’re ridiculously talented, I don’t know.

Even lead singer Danny’s vocals are a bit Sting-meets-Adam Levine, lending some familiarity to the songs which are a pick ‘n’mix of different musical styles to appeal to everyone. Sometimes it sounds like the kind of music which would soundtrack something like "Grey’s Anatomy" (but it’s all a million times better than "Chasing Cars"!!).

The Script will probably be the world’s next biggest new band, and I wouldn’t be surprised as this is an album designed to appeal to a massive worldwide audience. New Maroon 5, anyone? They just need to make sure that they sustain the quality and success of this album if they are to have a long career. In the meantime, world superstardom beckons if this great debut is anything to go by. (8 out of 10)