The Fray is back with “Helios,” the quick–paced follow up to “Scars and Stories.” The ingredients in this album, which came out Tuesday, are familiar and instantly recognizable: 11 pop rock numbers with a catchy rhythm that complement emotional lyrics. Isaac Slade, on vocals and piano, brings us back to the powerful themes of love and death. Some intense ballads such as “Hold My Hand” and “Our Last Days” evoke The Fray’s first album, “How to Save a Life” (2005), but, most of the album is a bit more pop than the previous ones, with “Love Don’t Die,” “Give It Away” and “Hurricane.” Ultimately, a good mixture of melancholy tunes with foot–tapping radio hits.
Grade: B
Download: “Love Don’t Die”
Sounds best when: Pretending to pay attention to your Poli Sci reading on a Wednesday night
