We’ve all been hit by a lot of worse -ions in the Merriam-Webster dictionary: recession, depression, rejection, inflation and what-have-yous. The least we want to hear is another piece of grief-stricken music that will drown us with sorrow and hopelessness. That’s exactly how The Script crafted “For the First Time,” the first single from their second album “Science and Faith.”
It talks about a couple whose relationship is being jeopardized by personal and external factors. The analogy is made with Ireland’s experience during the recession. The lyrics in itself loudly reverberates the difficulties of our travails and how we struggle to surmount them. And we’ve all been there, right? Some of us are still sulking right now, looming over lost jobs or failed relationships. Others have moved on and courageously faced the challenge. The melodramatic impact of “For the First Time” in this aspect is two-edged.
I believe that the track effectively portrayed misery and at the same time, left a window for second chances. Danny sang it true to his heart. His soulful voice at the opening soothes your heart and he sustained it throughout. The electric guitar jived with the drum rhythmics, powerfully evoking the emotions carried by the song. However, the song is also a bit formulaic. The band stuck with their sentimental signature style which somehow rendered the song predictable. The concept has been used over and over in genres other than modern or alternative or pop rock. At some point, “For the First Time” reminded me of “Breakeven” and “Before the Worst”, songs from their acclaimed self-titled first album. The songs did really well in the music charts, especially “Breakeven” which climbed the Irish and UK Singles Chart.
“For the First Time” could do well in the bid for chart-topping hits. But there are still serious contenders out there which offer a lighter, lifting kind of music. Nevertheless, this single made me crave more for the entire album.
JennySpeaks 