Reason (The Fray EP)

Reason EP is the second EP from Denver-based rock band the Fray, released in 2003 by an independent record label. In October 2007, the EP was re-released by Epic Records.^[1]

Reason EP
EP by The Fray
Released	2003
Genre	Alternative rock
Length	22:41
Label	Independent
Producer	Aaron Johnson
The Fray chronology
Movement EP (2002) Reason EP (2003) How to Save a Life (2005)

Track listing

All songs written by Isaac Slade and Joe King, except "Vienna", co-written with Dan Battenhouse.^[2]

1. "Together" – 2:23
2. "Some Trust" – 2:54
3. "Vienna" – 3:49
4. "Without Reason" – 3:33
5. "City Hall" – 3:00
6. "Oceans Away" – 3:58
7. "Unsaid" – 3:04

Notes

The drums on "Oceans Away" and "Vienna" are done by Zach Johnson, the first drummer for The Fray. For "Together", the guitar is played by Mike Ayars.^[3] The tracks "Vienna" and "Oceans Away" were featured in the band's first EP, Movement. "Vienna" was again featured on the band's debut album How to Save a Life.

Personnel

Isaac Slade - lead vocals, piano Dave Welsh - lead guitar on all tracks except "Together" Joe King - rhythm guitar, backing vocals Dan Battenhouse - bass guitar Ben Wysocki - drums, percussion on all tracks except "Oceans Away" and "Vienna" Additional musicians Mike Ayars - lead guitar on "Together" Zach Johnson - drums on "Oceans Away" and "Vienna"

Production Aaron Johnson - production, mixing, mastering, engineering

Reception

Reason EP launched the band into prominence in its native Denver city.^[4] The songs from the EP began receiving airplay on Denver radio stations, especially on KTCL. The band were invited as a headliner at a local theatre and later, it was voted Best New Band by Westword (a local alternative newsweekly). The band also won in the rock category of the "Westword Music Showcase Awards."^[4] Epic Records A&R man, Mike Flynn grew interested in the band after hearing the third track on the EP, "Vienna". He stated that the song "was real music. It was timeless music.^[4] Epic later signed the band in 2004.^[1]

Following its re-issue in 2007 (by which time the band had achieved mainstream success with the release of its debut album, How to Save a Life), Allmusic, in its review of the EP, compared it unfavorably to the radio-friendly style of the debut album, but stated that "the music is pleasant enough, with moodswinging melodies and tasteful piano fashioning some fine, middle-of-the-road pop/rock tunes."^[5] Westword gave the EP a positive review, stating "the music is epic, no doubt, but it's played on a wholly human scale" and compared The Fray favorably to Coldplay.^[6] CNET later termed Reason EP as "a career changing EP".^[7]