Search - Fray :: The Fray

Solid sophomore album with nice extras

MusicMan | Louisville, Kentucky, USA | 11/24/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"(4.5 stars) The Fray are a Hot AC-leaning rock band out of Denver, Colorado. Their debut album How to Save a Life spawned two big hit singles in the title track and "Over My Head (Cable Car)." The follow-up to that 2005 effort is their 2009 eponymous release.



The best word I can use to describe this album is consistent. There's little progression in style or approach from the first album; The Fray stick to the sonic formula that worked for them the first time around. Expect more piano-driven songs and Isaac Slade's emotive vocals throughout. I do, however, find this album a more cohesive effort than the debut, and the songwriting is generally strong. While there are fewer radio-ready tracks to be found here, as a unit, I believe this is overall a more unified and satisfactory listen.



This particular edition comes with an eight-song bonus disc. Four of these are live tracks: a rendition of "Fair Fight," the studio version of which is an iTunes exclusive bonus track; a performance of "How to Save a Life" at Webster Hall in which the crowd participates; and performances of the first singles ("You Found Me" and "Never Say Never") backed by The London Quartet. The "How to Save a Life" performance is nice enough, though unexceptional; however, it is good to have a version of "Fair Fight" on disc, and the vocal harmonies on the two London Quartet performances are pleasant. The other tracks on the disc consist of a piano version of "Where the Story Ends," which is decent, a demo for a song entitled "Be the One," which is a pretty good effort, and finally, the songs which are, in my opinion, the two major reasons to buy the deluxe edition: a new track called "Uncertainty" and a version of Kanye West's "Heartless." The former is a beautiful song with evocative lyrics to which I imagine most people can relate; the latter is a cool re-imagining of an excellent West song that became a surprise alternative radio hit earlier in 2009.



In summary, if you're looking for great artistic growth or a surprising sound, you won't find it here; however, if you're looking to hear an album from a band that knows its strengths and continues to play to them, then go ahead and invest in this release from The Fray. The addition of "Heartless" and "Uncertainty" make this deluxe edition the one to buy."