The Bottom Line
The Fray return with the familiar emotional intensity for those who fell in love with "How to Save a Life." Unfortunately, the song sounds formulaic musically and shows few signs of any stretching or growth for the band. Fans will be pleased, but "You Found Me" pales by the mastery of "How to Save a Life."
Pros
- Lyrical intensity
- Musical drama
Cons
- Songs are sounding formulaic
Description
- Written by the Fray, Joe King, and Isaac Slade
- Produced by Aaron Johnson and Mike Flynn
- Released November 2008 by Epic Records
Guide Review - The Fray - "You Found Me"
It's never easy to follow a landmark song. Just ask Snow Patrol about what to do in the wake of "Chasing Cars." The Fray entered the pop spotlight with their single "Over My Head (Cable Car)," but it was "How to Save a Life" that found them hitting a musical home run. "You Found Me" is a solid addition to the band's repertoire, but it may not be enough to keep pop fans focused on the band's future.
Lyrically "You Found Me" is solid and emotional. It's loosely based around the concept of questions of why bad things happen to good people. The Fray's lyrics are some of the best and most thought provoking in mainstream pop music today. However, "You Found Me" is weighed down by musical formula. Gentle rock with piano breaks that echo the group's previous hits. It's very easy to lose the focus of the words in the overall blandness of the sound.
The Fray's music is perfect for use as a soundtrack to dramatic television. "You Found Me" is no different and was picked up as a soundtrack for promotions of the new season of the show Lost. This effort is likely to reach the listeners most receptive to the band's sound. "You Found Me" will keep the Fray directly in mainstream pop consciousness, but it would be good to see the band stretch in new directions soon.
