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???The Fray is back at it again with their first release since their explosive multi-platinum debut How to Save a Life. With their work clearly cut out for them, high hopes may pan out with their impressive self-titled sophomore effort.
???The Fray doesn't disappoint, offering up an album complete with upbeat piano and guitar-strummed melodies, aided by vocalist Isaac Slade's sweetly sung lyrics.
???"Syndicate" is the first ballad to start the album off. Slade's amazing vocals depict a relatively morbid picture.
???"Halfway around the world/ Lies the one thing that you want/ Buried in the ground, hundreds of miles down/ First thing that arises in your mind while you awake /Is bending you 'til you break /Let me hold you now."
???"You Found Me," the album's first single, has been a heavy-hitter and great success on airwaves for weeks, peaking at No. 7 on the Billboard Hot 100. Although the single's breathtaking quality has already been overplayed, fans continue to admire it for its beautiful composition.
???"Lost and insecure/ You found me, you found me/ Lying on the floor surrounded, surrounded/ Why'd you have to wait?/ Where were you? Where were you? /Just a little late/ You found me, you found me."
???"Ungodly Hour" takes listeners down a familiar path: a slow charismatic journey with metaphorical lyrics, distinctive drumming and soft piano melodies.
???"Her bag is now much heavier/ I wish that I could carry her/ But this is our ungodly hour," Slade sings.
???The Fray manages to deliver another five-minute smash hit to the close the album with "Happiness." The album leaves fans with just that - another treat from this dynamic and emotionally-pleasing band.
Photo: Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons
