How to Save a Life : The Fray : Review : Rolling Stone

The debut from this Denver quartet blends piano-based Brit-pop swooning and scruffy alt-rock melancholia, as if that Keane guy were backed by the Counting Crows. Achy ballads such as "Fall Away" are too long on airbrushed prettiness, but between the band's sculpted guitars and meatier cuts such as the lead single, "Over My Head (Cable Car)," How to Save a Life offers more elegantly wasted twentysomething angst than the average O.C. soundtrack.

ROLLING STONE

(Posted: Sep 22, 2005)

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Give us your review of How to Save a Life

Review 1 of 5

4of 5 Stars

Everyone is comparing the band to Coldplay. I know Coldplay,
and The Fray is not like Coldplay. Maybe the song "Heaven
Forbid", but not very much.
When I first heard "Over My Head", I liked it. The first five
times I heard "How To Save A Life" (the song), I din't like it
and thought it was to similar to "Over My Head", but it grew
on me. Now I've heard their whole album and it's quite good.
They should definately have 6 singles off the album, because
there are six songs that sound like singles, and three of them
already are: "Over My Head (Cable Car)", "How To Save A Life",
and "Look After You". As for the other three, they're "She Is",
"All at Once", and "Heaven Forbid". I think "All at Once" should
be the fourth single, and it doesn't matter which order they
release "She Is" and Heaven Forbid", but if they were only
going to have five singles, I'd want their fourth and fifth to be
"All at Once" and "Heaven Forbid". Thos two and "Over My
Head" are my favourite songs on the album.

Mar 12, 2007 07:13:00

Review 2 of 5

5of 5 Stars

The Fray have come out of nowhere with this CD - which was first critisized for simmilarites to Coldplay, but I really think that they've earned their spot as one of today's hottest bands (earned their spots with the other hundreds). This album varies (as all albums do) in quality through the tracks, but bright spots such as "Over My Head", "How to Save a Life", and "Look After You" are the reason that it has long possessed a spot on the charts.

Mar 1, 2007 19:53:52

Review 3 of 5

3of 5 Stars

Although the hit single "Over My Head" is playing redundantly over the radio, I still like what The Fray have to offer on their new album "How to Save a Life." The majority of the songs are mellow, with hints of alternative rock, almost sounding like Coldplay in a way. I especially like the title track "How to Save a Life." However, towards the end of the album, I almost started falling asleep. Nevertheless, this is an above average band with a good, not great first album. It's definetly worth buying.

Jul 11, 2006 09:59:47

Review 4 of 5

5of 5 Stars

After hearing "How to Save a Life" (the song) once, I thought it was 'just another song.' Until I listened to it again.. and it grew on me, now and 200+ plays later I decided to buy the album. Loving every track on it. In a modern day where good Alternative music is on the decline, this is finally a CD I can't get enough of. Buying the CD, I started to have doubts a little 'Shoot, i just wasted another $5' the best waste (if you can call it that) of money ever. 5/5 Highly Recommended

Jun 28, 2006 22:26:26

Review 5 of 5

5of 5 Stars

As I listen to the tried and true musicians of our day continue their artistic decline, I got a surge of hope (if only temporarily) for revitalization when I heard The Fray "How To Save A Life." I didn't find one track that didn't deserve repeat play. Each song's music compose wrapped around a story of not-so-fun life experience lyrics. Yes, most were about pain but that is this life! Hope they do as well on the next.

Feb 28, 2006 04:54:46

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