The Fray saves itself with new album

Keirstin Westfallen
Staff Writer
Quick, guess this artist. Here’s your hint: they are willing to “Look After You” in a “Cable Car,” all the while providing detailed and vastly overplayed instructions on “How to Save a Life.”

If you guessed The Fray, congratulations. If you guessed anything else, you must have been living in a cave, caught under a rock or had something stuck in your ears for the past four years.

With their self-titled sophomore album, The Fray presumably attempts to make amends for the heinous crime of penning “How to Save a Life” in the first place. The new album features the already overplayed “You Found Me," which is basically the child of the aforementioned musical annoyance.

That said, the rest of the album hints that The Fray actually might be able to exceed all expectations and write some material that won’t find its way in between screen shots of Gray’s Anatomy or Scrubs, but can instead be heard by the average listener mostly cringefree.

The varying songs of most artists contain the similar element of a singer’s vocals.

While Isaac Slade provides the lead vocals for The Fray, the album’s coherency and strength really hinge on an inanimate object.

Every single song is intensely piano-driven, to the point where Slade’s vocals become like a shadow, still noticeable and a part of the music, but simply an effect, not the living and breathing cause. Slade’s vocals are the skeleton of the album, but the piano is everything else.

In Slade’s hands, the piano portrays the mood of every song in a way that even vocals cannot. That’s not to say that Slade’s vocals are lacking. The album does feature songs with vocals that are nothing short of phenomenal.

“Ungodly Hour” is easily the most beautiful five minutes and seven seconds on the disc due to a breathtaking collaboration between Slade’s vocals and piano. “Happiness” is another track that features exemplary vocals, as well as both thoughtful and sweet lyrics.

Lyrics, in fact, are a strong stand-out on the album. The lyrics brilliantly tackle difficult life experiences so that, together with Slade and his piano, a truly poignant song is born. The lyrics that comprise “Enough for Now" are heartfelt and intensely personal, all of which allow it to become one of the album’s better tracks.

Despite the melancholy nature of many of the album’s themes, there is still a light and breezy feel to it for the most part, making it enjoyable to listen to, and even on the tracks that might be lacking on the vocal aspect, the piano saves them completely.

The Fray’s second release is a strong effort. While a few of the songs may incorporate elements which are tellingly similar to their previously--ahem-- "celebrated" singles, The Fray’s latest album is a fitting (and oddly charming) apology letter for the many times “How to Save a Life” has crossed the airwaves.