The Fray - How to Save a Life
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Free Music Notes for How to Save a Life
Free Music Review: The Singing is Awful...
Hit: 1 Stars
This is singing? It sounds as if he's whining or dragging out his voice. I said in one of my reviews that it's hard to find good music today. This is certanly no exception. I'll admit the music is okay but the singing is simply awful. But I guess that's 'hip' now-a-days.Free Music Review: Over and over again
Hit: 2 Stars
I heard "Over My Head" on a TV cable series, found it catchy, and wanted to find out who recorded it. Not knowing the song title or the artist, I had a task before me. The search that followed included an eventful personal odyssey, but after a few months I finally discovered this CD. Unfortunately, my journey was a wasted effort. HOW TO SAVE A LIFE, the debut album for this piano-based group from Denver (-if that has any significance) is pleasant enough, that is, on first listening, but it is clearly superficial and soon becomes redundant. The enticing single "Over My Head" does have an entertaining chorus and a memorable refrain that makes nice use of the cable car metaphor. The majority of the other compositions on this album, however, sound as if they were manufactured by a cookie cutter song machine. Indeed, I don't think I recall ever hearing selections that were so much alike: they use a very (VERY) similar musical structure, are almost identical in studio production, and follow the same form- opening with an understated verse which then moves speedily to a chorus (that sounds like the chorus of the previous song) and repeats ala loop to make the statement. A slight exception might be the title track "How To Save A Life" (apparently among those heard on Grey's Anatomy) with its delicate piano intro and tender ballad-like message or "She Is" which demonstrates a bit of a driving rhythm. But even those do not stray too far away from the mold. They both, for example, still employ the same repetitious chorus device (in fact, when I was listening to "How to Save A Life" I thought it was "Over My Head."). The rest aren't even worth comment other than to say they are undistinguished. At best, they are derivative in content (borrowing from other vanilla-type ensembles) which nonetheless still does not excuse their own absence of variety. Likewise, the lead singer's voice, reminiscent perhaps of David Gray's, fits the tone of "Over My Head," but by the time you hear its whining character on two or three of the other tracks [incidentally- NOT like David Gray], you may want to be rescued from the experience. The continued exposure will either annoy you or put you to sleep.
To the point, this first album for The FRAY indicates that the group understands the concept of formula far too well. They should appreciate, however, that comfortable and familiar often leads very quickly to boring. With that in mind, most, if not all, of this can be thrown in the waste bin unless you are looking for sounds that will induce deep slumber. To be honest, its most salient feature is monotony. It is unobtrusively bland and shallow, with little evidence of either creative or original effort.
Free Music Review: very listenable tracks
Hit: 4 Stars
I spend most of my time in Europe, so I don't get too much exposure to up and coming bands. By chance on a recent trip home I heard The Fray on one of the 'Top 40' programs. I liked what I heard, sampled a few tracks online, and bought the music. While I might agree with the numerous reviews that say many of the Fray's songs sound similar, I still enjoy them. I recommend giving a listen to the Fray and look forward to seeing what comes next from them.Free Music Review: excellent album
Hit: 5 Stars
This album is a great album. Each song is really good. Very mellow. Free Music Review: melancholy melody
Hit: 4 Stars
The story from "How to save a life" is what got me to buy the CD. If you are interested google them and read about it. The whole CD is inspiring and nice. It is definitly a road trip CD. enjoy!