No matter how it falls apart, there's an art in breaking hearts

Continuing my trip back in time through the album charts

08/10/21 : Tales From The Script - The Script


Like Bastille in the previous entry, The Script are a band that are often dismissed by "proper music" fans and I'd struggle to completely deny that I might number amongst people who have done so in the past.  However, I have seen them live - although I only realised this a couple of years after the event as they became better known (it's a long story which really doesn't need telling).  And, my eldest was, for several years, a big fan of "Danny From The Voice" so I've got a bit of a soft spot for them.  Despite all this, I must admit that I was slightly surprised there was quite the appetite for a "best of" from the lads, but I was quite obviously wrong on that front - so let's see how best the best of really is...

And yeah, I didn't mind that at all.  It's not going to set the world alight but it's perfectly serviceable indie pop/rock with fine tunes and sing-along choruses - i'd go as far as saying the best tracks ("Breakeven", "Hall Of Fame", "No Good In Goodbye") are actually pretty decent.  High praise indeed.  It's actually quite interesting to compare them with Bastille because they're not a million miles apart, but The Script are (as far as I can tell) not trying to challenge their audience to consider the ills of the world - they just want to give them a hug and a good singsong.  And, in my opinion, that's not a bad thing at all - yes, it all sounds a bit more disposable and thrown together but I suspect there's quite a lot of work involved ("No Good In Goodbye" in particular is a well-crafted heartbreak anthem).  I'm not sure I needed 69 minutes of it, but you're not going to get away with a "best of" less than an hour long these days, are you?

We're at #1 in the chart again this week with the lads debuting at the top spot - they're still just about hanging in the charts now, so there was obviously more appetite for this than I was expecting.  Other new entries in the top five were The Specials at #2 (which will take me right back when I get round to listening to it) and Roger Taylor at #3 (which seems surprisingly high, and disappeared completely from the charts the following week) with Tony Bennett/Lady Gaga, Hans Zimmer, Potter Payper and Taylor Swift making up a somewhat eclectic mix of new arrivals in the lower half of the top 10.

Wikipedia doesn't have a lot on the album other than letting me know this was their sixth #1 album in the UK, so their level of appeal really has passed me by, hasn't it?  They're also (unsurprisingly) somewhat popular in Ireland.  "Customers also listened to" a load of other Irish bands and some guys from singing contest programs - I'm fine, thanks.  But I didn't mind this at all - yes, it's easy to dismiss it but there are some nicely crafted tunes on there.  Will I listen to it again?  Probably not - but I won't mind if I stumble across it again and what more could they ask for?

01/10/21 - One for the kids
15/10/21 - Mystifyingly popular

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