The Fray

The Fray | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (February 3, 2009)
• Original Release Date: 2009
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Sony
• ASIN: B001KW90Q2
• In-Print Editions: Audio CD  |  Vinyl  |  MP3 Music
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (92 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,208 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

2009 album from the Denver-based quartet, the follow-up to their enormously successful How To Save A Life. The Fray, who exploded into worldwide success with that album, have captured the skilled songwriting that broke them and, with the help of acclaimed producers Mike Flynn and Aaron Johnson, created a set of songs sure to make them household names. The band continues their licensing success story by collaborating with ABC's hit show, Lost in a series of music video promos featuring the album's first single, 'You Found Me' for the newest season of the show. The spots also ran during the 2008 American Music Awards, where the band was a featured performer. Over the weekend of the release and performance, the Lost video had over one million views. 10 tracks.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

20 of 23 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars The Fray does justice to todays music April 4, 2009

By Psboston7

Format:Audio CD

Bought this CD when it first was released of course I had heard on the radio "You Found Me" which it worked I loved it enough to run out and purchase the CD without hearing another song... but "How to Save a Life" was done so well that I had no hesitation with doing so.

I LOVE this CD it has at least 4 to 5 other good songs I immediately connected with "Enough for Now" there are some times when a song is heard and it sweeps you in and make your eyes water... well "Enough for Now" was that song for me on this CD. I have read some other reviews on here that compare this one to "HTSAL" but on it's own this is a beautiful CD with lyrics that are so real... so heart wrenching but in a subtle way.

"Ungodly Hour" was deep, sad and meaningful as he says "Her bags are now much heavier... I wish that I could carry her" a dramatic song.There are others I could list but I believe everyone has their own ear for music... what speaks to them so I just wanted to come in and share my experience with this CD. I listen to it gardening, driving, while reading, cooking. Due to the nice array of uptempo to easy listening it compliments most of my days =]

Respectfully Reviewed
Psboston7

13 of 16 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Buy This Album! March 19, 2009

By TRACE A. DEMEYER

Format:Audio CD|Amazon Verified Purchase

I just drove 1400 miles solo and every day I played the FRAY album in the morning over and over. It's contagious! All the songs have a mood. I am no spring chicken and still, I love this young band so much, I recommended it to all my friends, actually anyone who would listen. I hope they continue to write and play until they are grey like me. Buy this one. You won't be disappointed.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Amazing August 5, 2009

By Jason Connelly

Format:Audio CD

This album captures what the fray are truly about. I was hooked on You Found Me but I must say that I even more hooked on Never Say Never. This album is perfect for those who want to listen to songs with some substance. There music is something that you can really get behind. The whole album is full of great songs that really pull at your heart.

22 of 30 people found the following review helpful

3.0 out of 5 stars If There Had Never Been A 'How To Save A Life'... February 3, 2009

By HuskerDog

Format:Audio CD|Amazon Verified Purchase

...I would have probably rated this 5 stars. 'Save A Life' spoiled me, and now I'm finding myself somewhat disappointed...probably for no good reason. It just seems like something's missing on The Fray's follow-up album to their instantly-likeable debut. And I think it's because I can't help but compare it to that gem...there's no wonder it was nominated for a Grammy.

I've been enamored by the piano-rock stylings of this group since the very first time I heard "Over My Head (Cable Car)"...and every other song from that album gave me the same reaction...exciting melodies, perfect chord progressions...fresh but familiar. Don't get me wrong, this album is good. It starts out VERY good. The first track, "Syndicate", has a ton of energy with a catchy piano riff, powerful guitars and a great melody. I was smiling the first time I heard it. And my smile grew even wider while listening to the next song, "Absolute". Starting off with guitars, this tune picks up steam and never looks back...it's very dynamic, with the twists and turns that made 'Save A Life's' tunes so appealing. And with its soaring chorus, this song is easily my favorite of this collection, and I'd put it in the same category with the best the debut had to offer.

But it's after "You Found Me", perhaps this album's closest thing to a "How To Save A Life"-type song (with its perfect blend of intimacy and uplifting vigor), that this record starts to turn south. The fourth song, "Say When", starts a little slow but gets better as it goes along...still, there's a noticeable drop-off when compared to the first three songs. "Never Say Never" is a respectable ballad with a very nice string arrangement, but nothing really jumps out and grabs me.... Isaac Slades's vocals are good throughout this album, but it sounds to me at times that his delivery may not have quite the vitality of his consistently strong effort from the first record.

"Where The Story Ends" picks up the pace again but is based around a rather simplistic, one-note-at-a-time piano 'hook' section that I don't find too exciting. Then, finally we get around to one more top-notch song, "Enough For Now". A great chorus line sung with much better passion, excellent lyrical content, and a build in intensity add up to a moving, powerful tune. (Actually, I can't knock any of the lyrics on this record...they seem interesting and genuine...I just haven't felt compelled to dig into them yet). "Ungodly Hour" is far from ungodly awful...the line that builds up to the nice falsetto phrasing of the words 'ungodly hour' is actually quite beautiful from both a melodic and lyrical perspective, but the rest of the song doesn't really go anywhere...at least I can see a chance for this one getting better with time. Starting out with a buzzy synth line, "We Build Than We Break" is easily the worst song for me (there weren't any 'worst' songs at all on How To Save A Life). The closer, "Happiness", opens with a nice acoustic guitar accompaniment, and while it builds to a fairly strong peak that includes an impressive choir backing, it fades quietly away (as so does the album), and I'm not exactly feeling too 'happy' about this record.

Like I said, this is not a bad album. There are at minimum four very good songs, and perhaps some of the others will grow on me a bit. But when compared to songs like "Look After You", which didn't even NEED guitars to sound powerful and impressive, to the hauntingly beautiful "Vienna", most of the songs here pale in comparison. By no means should my rating be taken to mean this isn't worthy of purchase. I still recommend this for all fans of The Fray...what I DON'T recommend is doing what I did...stacking this up against 'Save A Life', for then you may be somewhat disappointed, too. Read more ›

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Solid sophomore album with nice extras November 24, 2009

By MusicMan

Format:Audio CD

(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. Read more ›