In recession, alt-rockers The Script find inspiration

The Script hopes to further that validation on Jan. 18 when it releases its sophomore album, "Science and Faith." In the meantime, "For the First Time" focuses on the fallout from the economic recession.

"We'd been away for two years touring," Power said of the inspiration behind the song. "When we got back to Dublin, we noticed the GFC--the global financial crisis--had really hit home hard. We'd heard about it but we've been traveling a lot, so when we got home and actually looked around we thought, 'This is unbelievable.' All our friends had lost their jobs and people were short of money, our family and all this stuff."

Power hopes the song will help people remember that there are more important things than money. "The most important thing is to have your family and friends around," he said. "Luckily, I think we pulled it off. People really like it and it kickstarted the whole album."

"Science and Faith," already released in the United Kingdom, has found its way into the hands of U.S. fans, and Powers said that has made recent gigs all the more satisfying.

"When we came off stage [in Phoenix], we said that to each other, 'Wow. Did you see people actually singing the words?'" Power said. "People have got their hands on it. It's made its way over here somehow."

The new record comes two years after the band's eponymous debut album, which was released in March of 2009. "The Script" got off to a slow start, but thanks to spots opening for Adele and David Cook, as well as the power of the singles "The Man Who Can't Be Moved" and "Breakeven," it peaked in the Top 100 of The Billboard 200 album chart. Power said the band --which also includes singer/keyboardist Danny O'Donoghue and guitarist Marc Sheehan -- did not expect "Breakeven" to be such a big hit.

"You hope that people are going to catch onto a song," Power said. "You can never expect that kind of success. You dream about it, yes. But expect it? No. So the fact that it's happened like it has has been great. We play that song at the end of our set for a reason -- because it's such a hit with everybody. It seems to resonate an emotion in everybody."

After wrapping up the band's headlining tour of the U.S. on Nov. 7, The Script head off to Europe and the U.K. Powers isn't certain when the band will next play North America, but the feeling is that it will be sooner rather than later.

"There's no doubt about it, we'll definitely be back next year to do another tour here," Power said. "[Management is] already in the middle of talking about that now because it's going so well at the moment. It just keeps getting bigger for us. It's a beautiful thing to come back and see that development and to be on stage and to feel that energy coming at you. It's quite a feeling, let me tell you."