How To Save A Life

On their full-length debut, Denver quartet the Fray don't exactly reinvent the wheel, but those looking for melodic, mid-tempo pop could do far worse. That said, the 12 songs on Top 40 hit How To Save a Life are barely distinguishable from each other. If you like one, you'll probably like the rest (and you'll be in the company of thousands of other listeners.) If you don't like one, it's unlikely the others will change your mind. Formed in 2002 and signed by Epic in 2004, the band consists of Isaac Slade (vocals, piano), Joe King (guitar, vocals), Ben Wysocki (drums), and Dave Welsh (guitar). Since their formation, the Fray have elicited comparisons to British groups like Coldplay and Keane, and American ones like Counting Crows and the Wallflowers. They've also toured with Weezer and Ben Folds and had songs--like first single "Over My Head (Cable Car)"--featured on such popular programs as Grey's Anatomy. Though they incorporate guitar, unlike Keane, Slade's expert piano playing is prominent on every track. To his credit, he can also hit the high notes just as gracefully as Coldplay's Chris Martin, but therein lies the rub: As with the band as a whole, Slade hasn't quite found his own voice yet. How To Save a Life is polished and professional, bland and inoffensive. It goes down easy, but evaporates into the ether just as quickly. --Kathleen C. Fennessy

Customer Reviews:

Wow...All I Can Say.
This CD is so beautiful and so perfect.Every song has a certain thing about it where you just cant stop listening.And it's impossible to get sick of any of these songs.I think that when you cant tire of a song,then that is a sign of a great music artist.Here is a list of my favorites off the album

1.Look After You
2.Vienna
3.Hundred
4.Trust Me
5.Little House
6.How to Save A Life
7.Over my Head (Cable Car)

The rest are great also..But these just rank my fav..I also happend to watch there concert on TV.And they are totally awsome live....The Fray are easily my favorite artist of 06.

--2006-12-16

Homogenized, pasteurized and processed to the point of uselessness
This group is a classic example of the bad effect of the monopolization of the radio industry. These days you can't get on the radio unless you fit the cookie cutter profile that Entercom seems to think qualifies as pop. This group fits that profile perfectly. If you like drunk sounding, inarticulate music with a very limited repertoire of musical variation, then this is the group for you.
--2006-12-12

This is supposed to be considered good music?
I can't believe there are enough people out there with bad enough taste in music that this album would be in the Top 40. All of the songs sound exactly the same - they all sound like a rip off of Coldplay and other similar bands.

How someone could sit and listen through 12 mediocre songs is beyond me. There is nothing new about the Fray, they have just hopped on the bandwagon of other wimpy pop groups with no serious musical ability.

The reason I give it 2 stars instead of 1 is that it was PRODUCED and MARKETED well, and I respect that. It was produced to sound exactly like all of the other junk on the radio, and marketed well to the people who listen to that junk.

I really hope you could find something better to listen to than this.
--2006-12-11

It took some time
I had heard of the Fray before and thought they sound pretty cool and all that. But that was it finally i got the chance to see the video for "Over my Head (Cable Car)" interesting name for a song. I was like okay i think i will go and check them out. I then happened to hear another song off the CD, "How to Save A Life" and i knew what i needed to do. That is go pick up the CD and it's easily one of the best CD purchases i've made this year. I don't really feel like skipping any of the songs. There's just something about each one that draws me to it. While they do have a similar sound from time to time. I don't focus on that. I just enjoy the music, piano, vocals and all else going on in each song. From one to the next, each song just flows into the next. I personally don't have a problem with the lead singer's vocal style at all. After hearing "She Is" i knew that i was in this for the long haul. Love the group and just about every song on "How To Save A Life".

A few of my favorites of the cd and although i have ranked them. I enjoy all of them:

1. She Is
2. Over My Head (Cable Car)
3. Fall Away
4. How To Save A Life
5. All At Once
6. Heaven Forbid

It's great to find a group that knows how to properly bring out emotions in people with their songs. The Fray are a band on the rise and have a new fan in me that will support all that they do. Look out people, the Fray are coming ready or not.

--2006-11-30

Nice to hear a popular artist with talent on mainstream radio
The Fray's sound is nothing particularly knew. Lifehouse and Switchfoot did it before (and possibly better), but, nevertheless, How To Save A Life is a strong debut for this group. The lead singles "Over My Head (Cable Car)" and "How To Save A Life" are great tracks and there are several other strong tracks on the album, including "All At Once," "Dead Wrong," and "Fall Away." If you enjoy easy listening music from a talented group, give this album a chance.
--2006-11-18

- Sony