Science & Faith (Bonus Track Version)

iTunes Review

On their sophomore album, the Script explores the ecstasies and agonies of love, with the emphasis clearly on the latter. Lead singer Danny O’Donoghue radiates a bruised sort of charisma, combining the sweet strains of a balladeer with a hip-hop artist’s seductive sense of flow. Romantic dysfunction is the theme of such yearning tracks as “Exit Wounds,” “Nothing” and “Long Gone and Moved On,” with “For the First Time” and the title tune offering hope that love can ultimately triumph. O’Donoghue gives one of his best performances on “Walk Away,” a good-girl-loves-bad-boy tune with an ear-snagging chorus. The Script rises to a heroic peak on the anthemic “This = Love,” a salute to everyday compassion and sacrifice. Marc Sheehan’s nuanced guitar work — ranging from Edge-like atmospherics to sturdy rhythm guitar lines — and Glen Power’s sinewy drumming keep the tracks crisp and assertive. Science & Faith combines precision musicianship with heart-bearing emotion — a winning formula.