For The Fray’s new album Scars & Stories, the band took a different approach in writing it. Setting aside some of the budget for travel, the band, in a sense, toured the world, and gathered stories that were infused into these songs. The band also enlisted producer Brendan O’Brien (Pearl Jam, Black Crowes, Lifehouse), and in doing so, helped to create one of the best Fray albums in their short career.

One can feel the same production flourishes that aided Lifehouse’s major label debut No Name Face, an album that Brendan O’Brien mixed. And the stories on this album make it more personal and a more relevant album to the masses. Deep human experience is what fuels the drive of life, and the Fray captures that better than most bands out there.

The opening track, “Heartbeat,” was inspired by a trip to Rowanda and an interview that lead singer Isaac Slade shared with an expatriate woman. It’s said that at one point, she held Slade’s hand, and during the exchange he couldn’t discern if the pulse he was feeling was his or hers.

The second track, “The Fighter,” was inspired by the Norman Rockwell painting entitled, “Strictly a Sharpshooter.” The song does not end well for the fighter, a man who just can’t walk away, and claims it’s just one more fight. Slade bellows “what breaks your bones is not the load you’re carying, what breaks you down is all in how you carry.”

The Fray also touch on other interesting subjects including the use of the Berlin wall as a metaphor for human relationships (“1961”), as well as a unique song that examines The God Particle and what it means to be here (“Munich”). The albums only real stumbling block is the track “Turn Me On,” which doesn’t fits with the theme of the record and could have easily been made a b-side.

All in all, while it may not trump their first album How to Save a Life, it certainly gives it a run for it’s money.

Album Rating: Stream It or Digitally Download It (Legally of Course)

Listening Co-efficient: Active Listen

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