The Fray: 'Look After You'

The Fray have to go down as one of 2007's most surprising success stories. Their particularly morose brand of melancholy has allowed them to supplant Snow Patrol as Virgin Radio's band of choice and their single 'How To Save A Life' is still finding itself stuck on every emotional montage scene on the telly. Their astonishing success comes in spite of the fact that lead singer Isaac Slade sounds like he's drunk and needs to blow his nose, and that their tunes are more snooze-worthy than half a bottle of Night Nurse.

'Look After You' follows the same formula as their previous UK releases; revolving around a lilting piano line and Slade's nasal gargling, it wobbles along aimlessly until it reaches its conclusion, which comes about three-and-a-half minutes too late. Like someone on Soapstar Superstar singing Coldplay, it takes itself very seriously, but the result's a miserable car wreck without a hint of real emotion. Like Maroon 5 before them, The Fray have inexplicably taken a stranglehold over UK audiences. Let's hope for the sake of our ears that people come to their senses in '08.