Reviewed by Rachel Eadon

Denver-foursome The Fray have been making a name for themselves in recent years, with some of their songs featured on TV programmes, including medical drama Grey's Anatomy. Although a Christian band, this album is written for the secular market. The opening tracks are memorable and it's easy to see why "How To Save A Life" has been so successful. But I must report that the album as a whole is unfortunately not as special. It suffers from being repetitive at times, and the effect is that the remarkable musical composition or the unashamedly personal lyrics can be lost. That said, as songs which stand alone, every track has its own merits. "She Is" employs heady vocals reminiscent of David Gray, while the title track is easily comparable to the likes of Coldplay and Keane, both in terms of style and quality of lyrics. It is in tracks like "Little House" that The Fray's own style - guitar-driven rock with a piano edge - comes through best. All in all, 'How To Save A Life' is pleasant enough. It might not cause a hurricane, but it's certainly a storm in a teacup.

The opinions expressed in this article are not necessarily those held by Cross Rhythms. Any expressed views were accurate at the time of publishing but may or may not reflect the views of the individuals concerned at a later date.

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