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Danny sounds tired here, really tired, and the song takes forever to reach anything that could be called catchy; he just goes (CORIN TIME) on and on and on and on and on and oooooonnnnn, and when the musical section takes over, it sounds like the first seven notes of the "Oooh"s were ripped straight out of another song, and then given three new notes and the end.

Incidentally when listening to said new "Ooh" riff you find yourself humming the original three end notes instead of The Script's three. It's pedantic I know, but it's so obvious it's a miracle they got away with it, I have no idea which song the vocal riff came from, only that it's a very popular modern rock track. Probably Snow Patrol or Coldplay... Hmm... Puzzling.

Anyhoo, as a comeback single this is very poor, and we don't need reminding how bad the economy is and the song tries to hard too be 'Chasing Cars' in the musical section so, 2 stars.

The whole 'we're a serious band now' thing does seem a bit desperate really, he's even grown a moustache for crying out loud! Agree completely with Fraser it does sound a lot like The Man Who Can't Be Moved just without the massive hook, the whole thing is just so earnest and ends up being irritating because of it.

2 Stars

P.S: The video annoys me as well especially the talking bits at the beginning and end which try to make the song seems even more earnest and serious.

I have written before that "The Man Who Can't Be Moved " and "Breakeven " were both fantastic pop singles , so I have been eagerly anticipating this lead single from new album Science and Faith .

When I first heard it about 2 months ago , I was a little disapointed , and it didn't leave much of a mark . Now I have heard it over 15 times , it has really grown on me .

Admittedly , it is littered with more subtle hooks than the two huge singles , but how it builds to the winning " Oh these times are hard " , melody hook is simply wonderful .

However , the production and instrumentation is largely pedestrian , as it chugs along with minimal musical identity to didtinguish it as an essential track.

Breakeven had the sirens in the background and those wonderful guitar squiggles in the chorus , that made it stand out as an innovative song .
The Man Who Can't Be Moved had a fascinating storybook lyric and a helluva standout chorus .

Having said that , For The First Time has a huge radio presence and is features high in the radio airplay listings , and will prove a winner for those who like good looking Irish guys singing middle of the road singalong , heartfelt songs .

This should be a top ten hit .

I don't get some of the dislike for The Script. Of course they will never satisfy most critics who want all such bands to be mega-experimental in everything they do, but they are really honest, decent, hardworking guys, and they are always humble and genuinely amazed at the success they've had, and they always thank their fans for making it happen.

I agree that perhaps they are overdoing the whole 'times are hard' thing with this song and the new album, but they have said it's because, after touring around the world and having the most amazing success, they came back home to find that their friends had lost their jobs and were struggling, and it put it all into perspective for them, so it's not as if they don't mean it. It's not as if they are claiming they themselves are the ones who've had the hard times.

If you listen to their debut album in full, I actually think they have a really fresh sound. Their music clearly appeals to a lot of people, judging by the success they've had. Not saying that automatically makes them good, but their music is not about being experimental or challenging, it's about the feeling it gives to the people who appreciate it. There is a lot to enjoy about their music.

Anyway I agree with spirit about this song. It won't change anyone's mind about The Script, but their fans will enjoy it - myself included. It only took about 3 plays through and I found myself singing along to almost every line. Some great production on the chorus, and as spirit mentioned, the post-chorus towards the end of the song is superb. I'm glad it's earned them their second uk top 5 hit (I don't think many were expecting that). I'll be listening to their new album many times this week.

Just read this review again and I could not help but laugh about Chartblog's comment regarding The Script , that we don't NEED them .

We don't NEED them ?

Who are the WE in this statement .

Has Chartblog suddenly changed into a Big Brother type totalitarian state that dictates to everyone in the country , exactly what music they HAVE to listen to ?

Given the fact that Chartblog gave The Club Is Alive by JLS 5 stars , is it ordering the country that all members must LOVE that song and if anyone tries to listen to anything else , thay are to be kidnapped under the cover of night and tortured with rats for committing the sin of Thought Crime ?

Incredible !

Sorry Big Brother , but I will listen to what I like , and it's my choice .

Anyhoo , The Script's first album sold 2 million copies worldwide and the new album Science and Faith is set to be this Sunday's number 1 !

Also For The First Time sits comfortably in the top ten , so hundreds of thousands of people are illustrating personal choice !!

You are gonna need one hell of a lot of rats to change their minds !

:)

Science and Faith is the number 1 album !

So a lot of people DO need The Script .

They even beat the brilliant Linkin Park , the legendary Robert Plant , and the superb , Interpol , who debuted at number 10.

Well done Danny and the boys .

This track has grown on me somewhat. I think it's lacking in the chorus department but it's packed with emotion and after a few listens, Danny's very good at emoting in his songs and making you pay attention. I actually find myself singing along perfectly with the verses so The Script boys are obviously doing something right!

The Script have a definite knack for lyrical storytelling, and it's also always good to see a video which relates to the actual lyrics of a song...

There are hooks, and it does build up clearly towards "oh these times are hard" ... on the other hand it has to be said that the music is kind of familiar, and a bit formulaic. Three stars probably fair.

I see that a lot of us are correctly identifying this track as a "grower" .

This is being reflected by the song buying public , as despite the album being last weeks number 1 , the single will still hold firm in the top five , tomorrow .