| How to Save a Life | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Studio album by The Fray | ||||
| Released | September 13, 2005 | |||
| Recorded | Echo Park Studios: 2004 - 2005 | |||
| Genre | Alternative rock, pop rock, piano rock | |||
| Length | 45:56 | |||
| Label | Epic | |||
| Producer | Aaron Johnson, Mike Flynn | |||
| The Fray chronology | ||||
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| Singles from How to Save a Life | ||||
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How to Save a Life is the debut album by The Fray. Released on September 13, 2005 through Epic Records, the record charted in the top 15 on the Billboard 200 and was a top ten hit in Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand and the UK. The first two singles from the album, "Over My Head (Cable Car)" and "How to Save a Life" helped the album become a commercial success and brought the band mainstream popularity.[1]
Critical reception to the album was mixed. The piano-rock style of the album drew comparisons with British piano-driven bands like Keane and Coldplay. The album was certified double platinum by the RIAA, and was also certified platinum in Australia, Canada, New Zealand and in the UK. The album went on to become the best-selling digital album of all time, breaking the record held previously by Coldplay's X&Y.[2][3] It was ranked #21 on Billboard's list of the Best Digital Albums of the Decade.[4]
Contents |
After independently releasing two EPs, The Fray were looking for a record company to release a full-length album. The band released their song "Cable Car" to Denver radio station KTCL, and the song saw significant airplay.[5] Denver alternative newsweekly Westword named the band "Best New Band" in 2004, and this prompted Epic Records A&R man Daniel Davis to sign the band to a recording contract on December 17, 2004.[6] The album was recorded over six weeks in Echo Park Studios in Bloomington, Indiana, and was produced by Aaron Johnson and Mike Flynn.[7]
All songs written and composed by Isaac Slade and Joe King, except where noted.
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "She Is" | 3:56 |
| 2. | "Over My Head (Cable Car)" | 3:58 |
| 3. | "How to Save a Life" | 4:23 |
| 4. | "All at Once" (Isaac Slade, Joe King and Aaron Johnson) | 3:48 |
| 5. | "Fall Away" | 4:23 |
| 6. | "Heaven Forbid" | 3:59 |
| 7. | "Look After You" | 4:28 |
| 8. | "Hundred" (Isaac Slade and Monica Conway) | 4:13 |
| 9. | "Vienna" (Isaac Slade, Joe King and Daniel Battenhouse) | 3:51 |
| 10. | "Dead Wrong" (Isaac Slade, Joe King and Michael Flynn) | 3:05 |
| 11. | "Little House" | 2:30 |
| 12. | "Trust Me" | 3:22 |
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Total length:
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45:56 | |
In later editions, an extra track was added:
The album was released on September 13, 2005 by Epic Records. While the album did not make a splash commercially or critically initially, the success of "Over My Head (Cable Car)" propelled the album from the Top Heatseekers chart to the top 20 of The Billboard 200 chart. The release of the second single, "How to Save a Life", a world-wide smash, helped the album enter the top 5 in several charts across the world, and brought The Fray mainstream popularity.[8] The song remains the band's best known and most successful song to date.
| Professional ratings | |
|---|---|
| Review scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| Allmusic | [15] |
| Blender | [16] |
| Entertainment.ie | [17] |
| Entertainment Weekly | (C+)[18] |
| Jesus Freak Hideout | [19] |
| HM Magazine | [20] |
| Rolling Stone | [21] |
| Stylus Magazine | (D)[22] |
Overall, critical reception for the album was mixed. The piano-oriented sound of the album drew comparisons with British piano-rock band Keane, and Coldplay (whose music - although classified as alternative - is driven by the piano).[23][24]
Allmusic, whilst giving the album a modestly positive review, stated that the band "lacked originality" and the album itself lacked any "inspiration and excitement".[25] Stylus Magazine gave the album a negative review, stating "The Fray, as a rule, are moribund, emotionally strained, uninvolving, and have a tendency to sound like The Cranberries fronted by a man."[26] Rolling Stone and Blender echoed many of these statements, both giving the album three stars out of five.[24][27]
Sputnikmusic criticised the negative reviews, stating "there may be some skeptics who say it's just another mainstream band with no talent.....take one listen through the entire album and you might be pleasantly surprised with the outcome."[28] Jesus Freak Hideout gave the album a glowing review, stating "How to Save Life is nearly perfect. Nearly every song's message contains key values and life' lessons."[29]
Album
| Year | Chart | Position |
|---|---|---|
| 2006 | ARIA Australian Albums Chart | 1 (Platinum)[30] |
| 2006 | New Zealand Albums Chart | 2 (Platinum)[31] |
| 2007 | UK Album Charts | 4 (Platinum)[32] |
| 2007 | Irish Album Charts | 4 |
| 2006 | Canadian Albums Chart | 9 (Platinum)[33] |
| 2006 | The Billboard 200 | 14 (2x Platinum)[34] |
| 2007 | Belgium Albums Chart | 47 |
| 2007 | Dutch Albums Chart | 50 |
| 2007 | German Albums Chart | 56 |
| 2007 | Swiss Albums Chart | 57 |
| 2007 | Spanish Albums Chart | 21 |
| 2007 | Italian Albums Chart | 85 |
| 2007 | French Album Chart | 86 |
| Preceded by Extreme Behavior by Hinder |
Australian ARIA Albums Chart number-one album March 5–18, 2007 |
Succeeded by Grand National by The John Butler Trio |
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