In last week’s Newswire, I wrote about The All-American Rejects’ 2008 album “When the World Comes Down.” This week I’ll be turning things in a slightly different direction. When I came up with the concept for this series, this was the second album I had in mind.
In 2010, The Script released their sophomore album “Science & Faith.” This album came less than a year after their song “Breakeven” off of their debut album peaked at number 12 on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart.
The memories I have associated with this album are far less vivid than those of The All-American Rejects. These memories are more like snapshots of a movie. I remember purchasing this album based on name recognition, having remembered the band from their previous song. I had a sixth generation iPod Nano, the one with a screen that was only one-and-a-half inches wide. I used to play this album on that small iPod on the way to school with my earbuds in, sitting in the backseat as my mom or dad drove through my slightly-commercialized hometown. One song on the album, “Nothing,” brings back the most memories. I remember playing it on the same iPod as I sat on my front porch and looked out on my neighborhood as I waited for some friends to arrive.
I was a little older when this album released, as I was just two months shy of my 13th birthday. Even still, this album reaches depths that I couldn’t quite understand at that age. This album touches on some heavier concepts like unemployment, alcoholism and the belief that love is a fleeting concept controlled by science. Now I’m old enough that these concepts are something I’ve had more experience with, whether firsthand or by education, and I can see that the band tried their best to share their own experiences through this album.
In recent years I’ve come to take more notice of the use of orchestral arrangements in music. This album features an array of strings that give their rock sound an extra umph. Just because instruments like the violin or bass are used widely in classical music pieces doesn’t mean they can’t be an excellent tool to be used in more modern music. I’m glad that this is starting to be seen more. They really do add something special to an already great piece, and this album is a perfect example. They aren’t overwhelmingly noticable and blend in with the guitar and drums, which is exactly what I love. The strings feel right at home.
I still love this album. I went a few years without listening to it but within the last year or two, I’ve dug up songs like “Nothing” and “For the First Time” to give them another listen to. Unfortunately, I learned that Spotify doesn’t allow you to listen to the “Walk Away” remix featuring B.o.B., which is one I’d surprisingly grown to love, as I tend not to be a fan of rap. It’s easy enough to look up on YouTube, but that’s just an inconvenience.
I have a lot — and I mean a lot — of embarrassing past music choices, but I’ve found that the ones I held closest to me in the past are the ones that still hold up. This is one of them.
By Hannah Schulz | Head Copy Editor
