The Fray

來自丹佛的The Fray，早在2002年由八歲就開始唱歌的主唱并同時把玩鋼琴/吉他Isaac Slade以及吉他/鋼琴同樣一把罩的Joe King，于當地唱片行再度相遇，基于相同音樂理念，引爆出兩人對組團與創作的渴望。融合U2和Counting Crow/數烏鴉樂團風格，再加入Isaac前樂團好伙伴Ben Wysocki(鼓手)、Dave Welsh(吉他手)共四人，終將The Fray組軍完成。十足默契以及動人節拍，很快成為丹佛當地熱門無簽樂團體，獲得Westwor雜志「最佳新進樂團」，短短四個月內，DEMO作品〈Over My Head(Cable Car)〉成為當地電臺點播大熱門，并贏得最受歡迎歌曲前30名。2003年接連推出兩張深受獨立搖滾樂迷歡迎的EP，接著成為主流大廠眼中深具潛力新團，引來一陣搶人風波。 by Andrew Leahey By pitching their music somewhere between the arena-friendly style of U2 and the mature pop/rock of bands like Better Than Ezra and Counting Crows, the Fray rose to commercial prominence with their 2005 debut, How to Save a Life. The Denver-based band had formed three years prior, when former schoolmates Isaac Slade (vocals, piano) and Joe King (guitar, vocals) unexpectedly bumped into each other at a local music store. The pair began a series of two-man jam sessions and soon expanded their lineup with two of Slade's former bandmates, drummer Ben Wysockiand guitarist David Welsh. Slade's younger brother, Caleb, also joined the band for a stint, but was ultimately asked to leave; the resulting rift between the two siblings would later inspire the band's first hit single, "Over My Head (Cable Car)." After issuing the Movement EP in 2002, the quartet gained the support of Denver's KTCL radio station with its follow-up release, 2003's Reason EP. As the Fray's airplay increased alongside their local profile (Westworld, a Denver alt.weekly publication, deemed them "Best New Band" in 2004), they began attracting attention from Epic Records. The label ultimately signed the band in December 2004, and the Fray toured alongside Weezer and Ben Folds the following summer. How to Save a Life was released in September 2005, and "Over My Head (Cable Car)" found a quick home on modern rock radio. By early 2006, it had crossed over to Top 40 chart status, peaking at number eight and whetting the public's appetite for another hit. The Fray responded by releasing the album's title track, which was heavily used in a promotional campaign for the TV series Grey's Anatomy and quickly became one of 2006's biggest singles. "How to Save a Life" was a worldwide smash, reaching the Top Ten in the U.S. (where it continued to chart for 58 consecutive weeks) and peaking at number one in Bulgaria, Ireland, Canada, and Spain. By the time the smoke had cleared, the Fray's debut had been certified double-platinum in the U.S. and was declared the best-selling digital album of all time. As How to Save a Life continued to enjoy worldwide chart success, the live album Live at the Electric Factory was released digitally and in selected independent stores in July 2006. The Fray re-released their Reason EP the following year while continuing to tour, occasionally playing new material (ostensibly from the band's sophomore album, to be tentatively released in 2008) at their high-profile shows.