The Fray - How To Save A Life
(2006)

Review by Anne Davis

Pop acoustic rock is the new Nu-Metal (remember the whole Linkin Park / Limp Bizkit phase?) with commercial radio inundated with the likes of Hoobastank and Nickelback. And, for a time there, I was beginning to worry that perhaps I would never hear a legitimately catchy tune on the radio ever again. Until, of course, I heard The Fray.

This Denver based quartet formed in 2002 when Issac, Joe, Ben and Dave began writing their annoyingly catchy - yet superb tunes together. Since being signed to Epic Records in 2004 the alt/rock pop band has become well known throughout the States thanks to some mass radio airplay and hundreds of gigs, which just seem to pull in bigger and bigger crowds.

The first single from their debut album "How To Save A Life", Over My Head (Cable Car), climbed into the top 10 of the US Billboard singles charts and was streamed more than a million times on MySpace in just over a month [and here I was thinking the internet's only use was for plagerising assignments and porn for nerds!]. With closeto 300,000 friends on their Myspace Page it is no wonder this band has become such a huge success by word of digital mouth  alone. Something which is becoming an increasingly regular occurance (case in point: Lilley Allen).

The album "How to Save a life" is mellow and catchy with some great heart felt lyrics. From the the title track, written about Issac Slades experience as a mentor to a crack addicted teen, to the first single Over my Head (Cable Car) inspired be Slades estranged relationship with his brother, the songs are by no means cheap love songs to get you through a break up - I'm looking at you Shannon Noll! 

The issues are real and the album continues to climb in popularity. And it's not just the music world that has jumped on The Fray's musical bandwagon: they are one of the most licensed bands of 2006, with their music being featured on Scrubs, Grey's Anatomy, NCIS and One Tree Hill  as well as in the summer promos for American Cable Network, HBO.

With the melodic mix of piano, acoustic and electric guitars, this is an effortlessly emotional listen that seems to take you on journey through the heart aching reality that is life. It's all the gritty sadness of Emo, except without the make-up, so that's a plus. 

Sadly if you were wanting to see these boys in person, you may just have missed them as they were in Oz just last week, even featuring on Rove Live while here. But according to their web site (www.thefray.net) the boys will be back on 2007! 

Until then I highly recommend purchasing the album and getting to know the twenty somethings angst ridden musical talent. It's either that or listen to This Is How You Remind Me from Nickelback for the millionth time!

RATING: 3.5 out of 5