The Fray Serenade Atlanta Fans With Kanye West Cover

With its radio-ready pop-rock sound and clean-cut looks, the Fray don't exactly scream "from the streets." "Believe me, we are neither hip nor hop," singer Isaac Slade told Spinner while sitting backstage after an intimate, Thursday evening show in Atlanta. The surprise concert, presented to less than 150 people who'd won tickets from a local radio giveaway, put fans within grabbing distance of the band.

Though the band could clearly feel the love from the mostly mom and teenage girl crowd, Slade had to ask "How could you be so heartless?" But it wasn't a serious question -- the Denver quartet was merely doing their cover of Kanye West's 'Heartless' from his '808s and Heartbreak.' Surprisingly, the song fit perfectly with the Fray's brand of soulful pop, as Kanye's harsh percussion and robotic drawl was replaced with floating piano, ethereal harmonies and Slade's passionate croon.

"We were playing a BBC show on Radio 1 and they'd asked us to play one of our songs and another Top 40 song. A few years ago, we'd played 'How to Save a Life' and 'Hips Don't Lie' and it worked really well," explained Slade. "But this time, I was unsure. I had two ideas and I played both for my wife -- I was stuck between Kanye and Britney Spears' 'Circus.' And, well, she said, 'No Britney.'"

Though Slade's take on Spears would've been entertaining, his Kanye proved more than just for kicks. The Fray have already cut a studio recording of its laid-back version of 'Heartless,' and who knows -- maybe it'll end up on The Fray's third record, which Slade assured would drop "sooner rather than later."