How to Save a Life

Infobox Album | Name = How to Save a Life
Type = Album
Artist = The Fray

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Released = September 13, 2005 (US)
April 20, 2007 (Europe)
April 21, 2007 (Australia)
April 23, 2007 (UK)
Recorded = Echo Park Studios: 2004 - 2005
Genre = Alternative rock, piano rock
Length = 45:49
Label = Epic Records
Producer = Aaron Johnson, Mike Flynn
Reviews = *Allmusic Rating|3|5 [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:zyd3vwrwa9qk link]
*"Blender" Rating|3|5 [http://www.thefray.net/images/press/blenderreview_nov05.jpgNov. 2005]
*"Entertainment.ie" Rating|1|5 [http://entertainment.ie/reviews/review.asp?ID=4900&subcat=CD link]
*Fasterlouder.com.au (Average) [http://www.fasterlouder.com.au/reviews/music/5456/ link]
*Jesus Freak Hideout Rating|4.5|5
*"HM Magazine" Rating|4|5cite journal |last=Callaway |first=Chris |year=2007 |month=January/February |title=The Fray "How to Save a Life" |journal=HM Magazine |issue=123 |pages=64 |id=ISSN|1066-6923 ]
*HotRockPlanet Rating|3|5 [http://hotrockplanet.com/?page=ar&id=000036&ar=e02cd89d3a2c226f57d76292b0dfacdb link]
*"Rolling Stone" Rating|3|5 [http://www.rollingstone.com/reviews/album/_/id/7568270/thefray?pageid=rs.Artistcage&pageregion=triple1 09/22/05]
*"Stylus Magazine" (D) [http://www.stylusmagazine.com/reviews/the-fray/how-to-save-a-life.htm link]
Last album = "Reason EP"
(2003)
This album = "How to Save a Life"
(2005)
Next album = ""
(2006)

"How to Save a Life" is the first full-length debut studio album from Denver-based band The Fray. Released in North America and Oceania on September 13, 2005 by Epic Records, the album became a top 15 hit on the "Billboard" 200 and sold over 2 million copies. It became the best-selling digital album of all time in January 2007. [cite web|url=http://www.sonybmg.com.au/news/details.do?newsId=20030829004122|title=The Fray: 'How To Save A Life' Now The Biggest Selling Digital Album Of All Time!|publisher=Sony BMG] Four singles have been released from the album, and two of them have hit the top 10 of the "Billboard" Hot 100. "Over My Head (Cable Car)" peaked at number 8 and was also a top 25 hit in several other countries, while the song "How to Save a Life" hit the top three in the US. The album was recorded over six weeks in Echo Park Studios in Bloomington, Indiana, and was produced by Aaron Johnson and Mike Flynn. As of mid-2008, the album had sold 3,205,280 million copies worldwide.Fact|date=September 2008

Creation of the album

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. [cite news|last=Smith|first=Dane|url=http://www.rollingstone.com/news/story/9550361/the_fray_live_the_high_life|publisher=Rolling Stone|title=The Fray Live the High "Life"|date=March 30 2006] Denver alternative newsweekly "Westword" named the band "Best New Band" in 2004, and this prompted Epic Records A&R rep Mike Flynn to sign the band to a recording contract on December 17, 2004. [cite news|first=The Ear|publisher=Longmont Daily Times-Call|title=Completely Frayed|date=May 12 2006] Epic Records chose "Cable Car" as the first single release from the album, renaming it to "Over My Head (Cable Car)" so that the hook of the song was included in the title. They also are releasing "She Is" in Australia.

Critical reception

Overall, critical reception for the album was modest. A few major publications gave the album poor reviews, but most reviewers called the album "above average" or "just average." Songs on the album were particularly compared to British alternative rock groups such as Coldplay and Keane.cite news|last=Gardner|first=Elysa|url=http://www.usatoday.com/life/music/news/2006-07-12-otv-the-fray_x.htm|publisher=USA Today|title=Debut 'How to Save a Life' takes on a life of its own|date=July 12 2006] cite news|url=http://www.rollingstone.com/reviews/album/7568270/how_to_save_a_life|title=Review: The Fray - How to Save a Life|publisher=Rolling Stone|date=September 22, 2005] "Rolling Stone", "Blender", and Allmusic all gave the album three stars out of five. [cite news|last=Hunter|first=James|title=Review: The Fray - How to Save a Life|publisher=Blender|date=November 2005] [cite web|url=http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:zyd3vwrwa9qk|title=Review: The Fray - How to Save a Life|last=Sendra|first=Tim Last accessed October 23, 2006]

Track listing

#"She Is" (Isaac Slade, Joe King) – 3:56
#"Over My Head (Cable Car)" (Slade, King) – 3:58
#"How To Save A Life" (Slade, King) – 4:21
#"All at Once" (Slade, King, Aaron Johnson) – 3:47
#"Fall Away" (Slade, King, Dan Battenhouse) – 4:23
#"Heaven Forbid" (Slade, King) – 3:59
#"Look After You" (Slade, King) – 4:26
#"Hundred" (Slade, Monica Conway) – 4:13
#"Vienna" (Slade, King, Battenhouse) – 3:51
#"Dead Wrong" (Slade, King, Mike Flynn) – 3:05
#"Little House" (Slade, King) – 2:30
#"Trust Me" (Slade, King) – 3:22

Bonus CD

#"Over My Head (Cable Car)" - Live at the Gothic (05.20.05)
#"How to Save a Life" - Live for MTV.com & VH1.com (07.14.05)
#"Look After You" - Live at Red Rocks (08.12.05)
#"Heaven Forbid" - Live at Red Rocks (08.12.05)

Bonus DVD

#How to Save a Life - the story
#On The Road '06 - documentary
#"Over My Head (Cable Car)" music video
#The Making of "Over My Head (Cable Car)" music video
#*total running time: approx 45 minutes

Personnel

* Isaac Slade — vocals, Piano
* Joe King — Guitar, Vocals on "Heaven Forbid"
* David Welsh — Guitar
* Ben Wysocki — drums
* Aaron Johnson - Production, Engineering
* Mike Flynn - Production, Artist & Repertoire
* James Masterton & Kevin Loyal - Assistance
* Tim Hoagland - Engineering
* Mark Endert & Alex "odd job" Uychocde - Mixing
* Paul Mahern & Warren Huart - Pro tools editing
* Warren Huart - Engineering
* Stephen Marcussen - Mastering
* Nathan Johnson - Artwork
* Michelle Holme - Art Direction
* Zack Johnson - Hand Lettering
* Jason Ienner & Gregg Latterman - Management
* Jimmy Stofer - Bass
* Rod Blackhurst - Director & Cinematographer On the Road '06 Documentary

ingles

*"Over My Head (Cable Car)"
*"How to Save a Life"
*"Look After You"
*"All at Once"
*"She Is" (Australia only)

Charts

Album

Singles

amples

Uses in Media

* The song appears on the game .
* The song "Fall Away" was used during the Seven Network's coverage of the 2008 AFL Grand Final.

References

External links

* [http://www.thefray.net Official band website]

succession box
before = "Extreme Behavior" by Hinder
title = Australian ARIA Albums Chart number-one album
years = March 5 - March 18 2007
after = "Grand National" by The John Butler Trio