The Bottom Line
"Over My Head (Cable Car)" is a promising first single by the Denver-based band The Fray. The piano-driven melody coupled with earnest lyrics of a relationship careening out of control have a memorable impact. However, at the moments when you feel the song may transcend it's earth-bound tethers, it returns to the ground instead of truly soaring to the clouds.
Listen to "Over My Head (Cable Car)"
Pros
- Sweeping melody
- Engaging stream-of-consciousness lyrics
Cons
- Never quite reaches a transcendent moment
Description
- Rolling piano and chiming guitars
- Solid vocals from Isaac Slade with an appealing rock edge
- Instantly memorable melody
Guide Review - The Fray - Over My Head (Cable Car)
The Fray are part of a growing number of bands influenced by the heart-tugging piano-driven melodies of Coldplay. In the case of the Fray, they toss in a touch of the world-weary rock of Counting Crows and the Wallflowers that adds up to a more unique sound.
Lyrically, "Over My Head (Cable Car)" captures a stew of emotion in a relationship that faces an inevitable end. The lead vocalist is in over his head, and he knows it, but he's helpless to stop the direction of events. A nearly stream-of-consciousness flow of the words through the verse maintains interest in the well-worn subject matter even if the image of an argument in a cable car hanging over a canyon is a bit forced.
The music of the Fray slides neatly into pop radio playlists and is a good first hit for the band. "Over My Head (Cable Car)" fails to reach a truly transcendent moment, but the group have begun to build a fan base that will be ready to hear their music when that moment comes.
