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The Fray (band)
Encyclopedia
The Fray is an American rock
band from Denver, Colorado
. Formed in 2002 by schoolmates Isaac Slade
and Joe King
, they achieved success with the release of their debut album, How to Save a Life
in 2005, which was certified double platinum
by the RIAA
and platinum in Australia
, Canada
, New Zealand and the UK
. The Fray achieved national success with their first single, "Over My Head (Cable Car)
", which became a top ten hit in the United States. The release of their second single, "How to Save a Life
", brought the band worldwide fame. The song charted in the top three of the Billboard Hot 100
and was a top 5 single in Australia
, Canada
, Ireland
, Italy, Spain, Sweden, and the United Kingdom
.
The group's second self-titled album
, released in 2009, debuted at number-one on the Billboard charts
and was certified gold
in the United States, Australia and Canada. It was also nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Pop Vocal Album
in 2010. While both the albums were commercially successful, critical reception was mixed. The Fray was ranked #84 on Billboard
s "Artists of the Decade" list.
The Fray's use of the piano as the lead instrument in their music has led critics to compare the band with English
piano-driven bands like Coldplay
and Keane. However, the band lists its influences as The Wallflowers
, Counting Crows
, Better Than Ezra
and U2
.
", which is about the brothers' waning relationship. Following this, Johnson eventually left the band as well to attend an art school in New York.
Ben Wysocki, a former band mate of Isaac Slade, joined as drummer and later, Dave Welsh, who was another former band mate of Slade and Wysocki, was added as lead guitarist to the band. The newly formed band was named "The Fray". The members of the band first claimed that they found the name suitable because they frequently quarreled about the composition of the lyrics in their songs, but they have since stated they are usually on good terms while composing music and acknowledges contributions from all of its members.). The band has had no permanent bassist since Caleb, instead employing touring bassists on a temporary basis. The current bassist is Jeremy McCoy
, who has been with the band since 2009.
The band released its first record, Movement EP
in 2002. The next year, the band released Reason EP
produced by How To Save A Life co-producer Aaron Johnson
, which garnered the band local fame and acclaim. Westword
, an alternative newsweekly
, gave Reason EP a positive review, stating "The music is epic, no doubt, but it's played on a wholly human scale". Despite these reviews, the band struggled to launch a single; Denver radio station KTCL
rejected eight of their songs before the band decided to submit a demo of "Cable Car". The song found airplay on a KTCL radio show highlighting local bands, and the radio station received a large number of requests for it soon thereafter. The band changed the name of the song to "Over My Head (Cable Car)", and as the song's airplay increased alongside their local following, the band was voted "Best New Band" by Westword in 2004. Epic Records
A&R
man Daniel Davis discovered the band through the article in Westword and soon after, Epic Records officially signed the band on December 17, 2004.
The band's debut album How to Save a Life
was released on 13 September 2005. "Over My Head (Cable Car)
" was released as the first single from the album, and it soon became a top 40 hit on the Modern Rock Tracks
chart in late 2005, peaking at #37. The single gained airplay nationally, entering the Billboard Hot 100
chart on the issue marked February 25, 2006. Fourteen weeks later, it reached its peak position at #8 on the Hot 100 chart. On the Billboard Adult Top 40 chart, the single reached the #2 position. Internationally, the song was a Top 25 hit in Australia
, Canada
, Denmark, Ireland
, New Zealand and the UK
. The song was the fifth-most downloaded single of 2006.
While "Over My Head (Cable Car)" was rising on the charts, the song "How to Save a Life
" was first featured during a second season episode ("Superstition", aired March 19, 2006) of Grey's Anatomy
, and then on a fifth season episode ("My Lunch", aired April 25, 2006) of Scrubs
. Despite not having been originally released as a single, "How to Save a Life" entered the Hot 100 chart on the issue marked April 15, 2006. The song was released as the band's second single. On August 18, 2006, ABC
announced that the song would be used for the main advertising promotion for the season premiere of Grey's Anatomy.
Only weeks after this promotion started, the song became The Fray's second Top 40 hit in the United States. The song peaked at #3 on the Hot 100 chart, surpassing the peak position of "Over My Head (Cable Car)". It tied for the seventh longest charting single of all time on the Hot 100 chart, with Santana
's "Smooth
", at 58 consecutive weeks. The song also topped the Adult Top 40 chart
for 15 consecutive weeks. "How to Save a Life" was a major hit internationally, topping the singles chart in Ireland
, Spain and Canada
. The song also charted in the top five in Australia
, Italy and Sweden and was the band's first hit in the United Kingdom, peaking at #4 on the UK Singles Chart
.
"Look After You
" was released as the third single from the album. It peaked at #59 on the Hot 100 chart and was the band's first single to miss the Top 40 while the fourth single, "All at Once
" failed to crack the Hot 100 chart. However, the success of "Over My Head (Cable Car)" and '"How to Save a Life" had already launched the band into the mainstream, while the album became a commercial success. How to Save a Life peaked at #15 on the U.S. Billboard 200
chart, and charted in the top ten in Australia
, Canada
, Ireland
, New Zealand and the UK
and was certified the best-selling digital album of all time, breaking the record held previously by Coldplay
's X&Y
.
While the album met with commercial success, critical reception from mainstream critics was mixed; Allmusic gave the album a modest review, but stated that the Fray "lacked originality" and the album itself lacked any "inspiration and excitement". Stylus Magazine
gave the album a negative review, stating "The Fray, as a rule, are moribund, emotionally strained and uninvolving." Rolling Stone
and Blender
echoed many of these statements while giving the album three stars out of five. However, the album garnered acclaim from Christian music
magazines; Jesus Freak Hideout
gave the album a glowing review, stating "How to Save Life is nearly perfect" and gave the album a 4.5/5 star rating. HM Magazine
, another American magazine devoted to Christian music also gave the album a positive review, rating it 4/5 stars.
To promote the album, The Fray began an extensive worldwide tour and released a live album, Live at the Electric Factory: Bootleg No. 1, on July 18, 2006. The concert was recorded on May 21, 2006 at the Electric Factory in Philadelphia
, Pennsylvania. On September 19, they re-released How to Save a Life as a CD/DVD set with exclusive content including a documentary on the making of the album. On September 4, 2007, the band released another live album, Acoustic in Nashville: Bootleg No. 2
, which was recorded in late 2006. The album could only be purchased with the original CD from Target but was made available on the iTunes Music Store on November 13, 2007. On October 16, 2007, the band re-released their 2003 EP, Reason
. The band also released a live cover of John Lennon
and Yoko Ono
's "Happy Xmas (War Is Over)
" as a 2006 Christmas single (it debuted and peaked on the Hot 100 chart at #50 on the strength of a large number of digital downloads) and worked with Reverb
, a non-profit environmental
organization, for their 2007 summer tour.
at the end of July 2008 for a February 3, 2009 release. The album was produced by Aaron Johnson
and Mike Flynn, the same production duo from the band's debut album, and recorded by Warren Huart
. A documentary, Fair Fight, directed by Rod Blackhurst was included with the first 300,000 copies of the second album. The lead single
from the album, "You Found Me" debuted online on December 9, 2009, on VH1.com, and debuted at #28 on the Hot 100 chart, the band's highest debut on the chart to date. The song peaked at #7 on the chart, (making it the band's second highest charting single) and topped the Billboard Hot Adult Top 40 Tracks
chart as well as the Australian Singles Chart
, becoming the band's first song to reach number-one in Australia. It is also the band's third song to sell 2 million digital downloads in the United States, after "Over My Head (Cable Car)" and "How to Save a Life". Following the success of "You Found Me", the album, released on February 3, 2009, debuted at number-one on the Billboard 200
chart, selling 179,000 copies in its first week of release. The music video was directed by fellow Denver native Josh Forbes
. It was filmed in Chicago and was an homage to the Wim Wenders
film Wings of Desire
On February 3, 2009, The Fray released their self-titled sophomore effort to the Christian market. The band opted to release their second album in both markets. In a video for the song “You Found Me” that includes some behind the scenes footage, lead vocalist Isaac Slade says that this album is what they would have done the first time if they had the time, and where they want to go for the rest of their career. On February 13, 2009, The Fray wrote a song called "Be the One". The song was written in the space of 24 hours when Q asked the band to write a love song for the occasion of Valentine's Day
. The demo version of the song was released worldwide on the band's official website on 11 November 2009. The band also covered Kanye West
's song "Heartless
" which charted at #79 on the Billboard Hot 100
, while a video for the cover was released worldwide on iTunes
on August 11, 2009. Both songs were included in the deluxe edition of the band's second album. "Heartless" was also included on the band's third live album, The Fray: Live from SoHo
, which was released on April 7, 2009. On 10 November 2009, the band released the deluxe edition of The Fray which contained a second disc of never before released songs, including "Heartless".
"Never Say Never
" was released as the second single from the album. The song was a modest hit in the United States; it peaked at #32 on the Hot 100 chart and at #10 on the Hot Adult Top 40 Tracks chart while internationally, it failed to match the success of "You Found Me". The third single from the album, "Syndicate
", released on 12 January 2010, failed to achieve any notable success even in the United States; it only managed to peak at #16 on the Hot Adult Top 40 Tracks and at #40 on the Pop Songs chart, becoming the band's second single to miss the Hot 100 chart and the lowest charting single from the album.
Again, critical reception to the album was mixed. Rolling Stone termed the album as "nothing new" while Entertainment Weekly
stated, "The Fray is all blah, all the time: more minor-key melodies and more dreary tempos." Allmusic, whilst giving the album a modestly positive review, echoed many of these statements, commenting that "the songcraft remains virtually unchanged" and termed the album as "How to Save a Life – Part 2." However, AbsolutePunk criticized the negative reviews, stating, "For what it's worth, the Denver quintet has released a charming, appealing record that would be far more praiseworthy if it didn't sound so much like its predecessor...it may be an album a lot like its predecessor, but that isn't exactly a bad thing." At Metacritic
, a review aggregate website, the album holds a rating of 56/100 based on 9 professional reviews, meaning "mixed or average reviews".
on his album, Shock Value II
, which was released on December 8, 2009. The band was featured on the song "Undertow", which, despite not being released as a single, entered the Billboard Hot 100
at #100, the week ending November 28, 2009. On December 22, 2009, the band released an EP
, Christmas
as a free download from the band's official website. The EP contained five acoustic covers of popular christmas carols.
In an interview with Westword
in June 2010, guitarist Dave Welsh announced that the band are currently working on an EP containing covers of songs by artists such as Annie Lennox
, Billy Joel
, Bruce Springsteen
and Bob Marley
but did not give a specific release date.
(best known for his work with Bruce Springsteen
, Pearl Jam
and Rage Against the Machine
) and was recorded in Blackbird studio, located in Nashville, Tennessee
. During an interview with Colorado Daily, Isaac Slade
explained why the band had recruited Brendan O'Brien as their producer; "Sonically, we wanted to make this record sound as close as possible to the live shows", citing Pearl Jam and Springsteen as influences, for the sound of the record, that they were trying to capture.
As for the lyrical aspect of the album, Slade mentions that the lyrics capture a more aggressive tone, than their previous records. During an interview with Westword
, Isaac Slade mentioned working titles for three new tracks that will most likely be appearing on the third album; "Heartbeat," "The Fighter" and "Here We Are." Other possible tracks are titled "Burning", "48 To Go", and "Be Still". These track listings were confirmed on October 18, 2011 on The Fray's official website. Joe King
will be recording both guitar (primary) and bass for several songs on the third album.
Mixing for the third record began on June 21, 2011. On July 14, 2011 Isaac Slade confirmed that the mixing and recording for the third album had been completed via Twitter "Finished our third record about half an hour ago. -is". When asked about possible release dates for the album, Slade mentioned his hope that the album will be out by October 2011, or at least in time for Thanksgiving
.
On August 5, 2011 The Fray had a photo-shoot for the third record, with photographer Danny Clinch
.
On September 13, during a live performance at the Ryman Auditorium
in Nashville, the band announced that the new album is titled Scars and Stories, and performed the first single from the new album titled "Heartbeat
". They also performed a song called "Run For Your Life" which is going to appear on the third record.
"Heartbeat" was released to radio on October 8, 2011 and was released for download October 11, 2011 on iTunes
. The single debuted at number 43 on the Billboard Hot 100
chart. The album is scheduled to be released on February 7, 2012. The Fray started promotion for the new single and album by touring various radio stations, and are scheduled for TV appearances as well.
The band also contributed a cover of "Take Your Time
" to the tribute album Listen to Me: Buddy Holly, released September 6, 2011.
tracks and power ballads
. The band's second album spread the spectrum of the music: the pop rock songs were faster and more energetic, while the ballads were softer than the ballads on the first album.
Lead vocalist
and pianist
Isaac Slade
's vocals feature falsetto
and a strong American accent. His vocal style on the debut album was marked by a simple and emotive style. On the second album, his vocals, while retaining the basic style on the debut album, were stronger, edgier and more aggressive, most notably on the tracks "We Build Then We Break" and "Say When".
The lyrics on both albums revolve around life's problems and issues. Common themes include happiness
, sadness
, death
, the problem of evil
, relationships, and war
. The honest and emotional nature of the lyrics has also had critics labeling The Fray as emo
, comparing them to mainstream emo acts like Jimmy Eat World
. The Fray's initial songs contained lyrics with strong messages. However, by the time they began work on their debut album, the band decided against being an entirely religious outfit because they believe that God has called them away from the, "Christian music genre and into a secular market".
Touring members
Former members
2007
2009
2010
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
band from Denver, Colorado
Denver, Colorado
The City and County of Denver is the capital and the most populous city of the U.S. state of Colorado. Denver is a consolidated city-county, located in the South Platte River Valley on the western edge of the High Plains just east of the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains...
. Formed in 2002 by schoolmates Isaac Slade
Isaac Slade
Isaac Edward Slade is the lead vocalist, main songwriter, pianist, and co-founder of Denver-based piano rock band The Fray.-Early years:...
and Joe King
Joe King (guitarist)
Joe King is the guitarist, backing vocalist, songwriter and co-founder of Denver-based piano rock band The Fray.-Early life:Joe King was born on May 25, 1980 in Colorado, and is of Spanish descent...
, they achieved success with the release of their debut album, How to Save a Life
How to Save a Life
How to Save a Life is the debut album by The Fray. Released on September 13, 2005 through Epic Records, the record charted in the top 15 on the Billboard 200 and was a top ten hit in Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand and the UK...
in 2005, which was certified double platinum
Music recording sales certification
Music recording sales certification is a system of certifying that a music recording has shipped or sold a certain number of copies, where the threshold quantity varies by type and by nation or territory .Almost all countries follow variations of the RIAA certification categories,...
by the RIAA
Recording Industry Association of America
The Recording Industry Association of America is a trade organization that represents the recording industry distributors in the United States...
and platinum in Australia
ARIA Charts
The ARIA charts are the main Australian music sales charts, issued weekly by the Australian Recording Industry Association. The charts are a record of the highest selling singles and albums in various genres in Australia. ARIA commenced compiling its own charts in-house from the week ending 26 June...
, Canada
Canadian Albums Chart
The Canadian Albums Chart is the official album sales chart in Canada. It is compiled every Wednesday by U.S.-based music sales tracking company Nielsen Soundscan, and published every Thursday by Jam! Canoe and Billboard, along with its sister charts the Canadian Singles Chart and the Canadian BDS...
, New Zealand and the UK
UK Albums Chart
The UK Albums Chart is a list of albums ranked by physical and digital sales in the United Kingdom. It is compiled every week by The Official Charts Company and broadcast on a Sunday on BBC Radio 1 , and published in Music Week magazine and on the OCC website .To qualify for the UK albums chart...
. The Fray achieved national success with their first single, "Over My Head (Cable Car)
Over My Head (Cable Car)
"Over My Head " is a song by American rock band The Fray. It is included on their on their debut album How to Save a Life and was the debut single from the album and hit the top 10 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart...
", which became a top ten hit in the United States. The release of their second single, "How to Save a Life
How to Save a Life (song)
"How to Save a Life" is a song by American rock band The Fray. It is the title track from their debut album and was released as the second single from it. The song is one of their most popular airplay songs and peaked in the top 3 of the Billboard Hot 100 chart in the United States...
", brought the band worldwide fame. The song charted in the top three of the Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
and was a top 5 single in Australia
ARIA Charts
The ARIA charts are the main Australian music sales charts, issued weekly by the Australian Recording Industry Association. The charts are a record of the highest selling singles and albums in various genres in Australia. ARIA commenced compiling its own charts in-house from the week ending 26 June...
, Canada
Canadian Singles Chart
The Canadian Singles Chart is currently compiled by the U.S.-based music sales tracking company, Nielsen SoundScan . The chart is compiled every Wednesday, and is published by Jam! Canoe on Thursdays....
, Ireland
Irish Singles Chart
The Irish Singles Chart is Ireland's music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by the Irish Recorded Music Association and compiled on behalf of the IRMA by Chart-Track. Chart rankings are based on sales, which are compiled through over-the-counter retail data captured...
, Italy, Spain, Sweden, and the United Kingdom
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
.
The group's second self-titled album
The Fray (album)
The Fray is the second studio album by The Fray. Released on February 3, 2009, through Epic Records, the album debuted at number-one on the Billboard 200 chart, and became a top 5 hit in Australia and Canada. It was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Pop Vocal Album in 2010...
, released in 2009, debuted at number-one on the Billboard charts
Billboard 200
The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists...
and was certified gold
Music recording sales certification
Music recording sales certification is a system of certifying that a music recording has shipped or sold a certain number of copies, where the threshold quantity varies by type and by nation or territory .Almost all countries follow variations of the RIAA certification categories,...
in the United States, Australia and Canada. It was also nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Pop Vocal Album
Grammy Award for Best Pop Vocal Album
The Grammy Award for Best Pop Vocal Album is an honor presented at the Grammy Awards, a ceremony that was established in 1958 and originally called the Gramophone Awards, to recording artists for quality pop music albums...
in 2010. While both the albums were commercially successful, critical reception was mixed. The Fray was ranked #84 on Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
s "Artists of the Decade" list.
The Fray's use of the piano as the lead instrument in their music has led critics to compare the band with English
English people
The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...
piano-driven bands like Coldplay
Coldplay
Coldplay are a British alternative rock band formed in 1996 by lead vocalist Chris Martin and lead guitarist Jonny Buckland at University College London. After they formed Pectoralz, Guy Berryman joined the group as a bassist and they changed their name to Starfish. Will Champion joined as a...
and Keane. However, the band lists its influences as The Wallflowers
The Wallflowers
The Wallflowers is a rock band from Los Angeles, California, fronted by Jakob Dylan. Formed in 1989 and originally known as The Apples, the ensemble has gone through numerous personnel changes with Dylan the only constant....
, Counting Crows
Counting Crows
Counting Crows is an American rock band originating from Berkeley, California. Formed in 1991, the group gained popularity following the release of its debut album in 1993, August and Everything After, which featured the hit single "Mr. Jones"...
, Better Than Ezra
Better Than Ezra
Better Than Ezra is an American alternative rock trio based in New Orleans, Louisiana.-Formation and early success:Better Than Ezra was formed in 1988 by its four original members - vocalist and guitarist Kevin Griffin; Joel Rundell, the lead guitarist; bassist Tom Drummond; and drummer, Cary...
and U2
U2
U2 are an Irish rock band from Dublin. Formed in 1976, the group consists of Bono , The Edge , Adam Clayton , and Larry Mullen, Jr. . U2's early sound was rooted in post-punk but eventually grew to incorporate influences from many genres of popular music...
.
Formation and early years (2002–2004)
The band members' lives were largely formed in Denver churches where they helped lead worship, and in the Christian school three of them attended. Slade, 24, and guitarist Joe King, 25, were several years ahead of drummer Ben Wysocki, 21, at Faith Christian Academy. Wysocki and guitarist David Welsh, 21, played in the same worship band. In the spring of 2002, former schoolmates Isaac Slade and Joe King reconnected and began regular two-man jam sessions that led to writing songs. Isaac and Joe later added Zach Johnson on drums and Slade's younger brother Caleb on bass to the band. Caleb was the band's first (and only official) bass player but was eventually asked to leave. Caleb's departure from the band caused a rift in his relationship with Isaac and this rift later became the inspiration for the song "Over My Head (Cable Car)Over My Head (Cable Car)
"Over My Head " is a song by American rock band The Fray. It is included on their on their debut album How to Save a Life and was the debut single from the album and hit the top 10 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart...
", which is about the brothers' waning relationship. Following this, Johnson eventually left the band as well to attend an art school in New York.
Ben Wysocki, a former band mate of Isaac Slade, joined as drummer and later, Dave Welsh, who was another former band mate of Slade and Wysocki, was added as lead guitarist to the band. The newly formed band was named "The Fray". The members of the band first claimed that they found the name suitable because they frequently quarreled about the composition of the lyrics in their songs, but they have since stated they are usually on good terms while composing music and acknowledges contributions from all of its members.). The band has had no permanent bassist since Caleb, instead employing touring bassists on a temporary basis. The current bassist is Jeremy McCoy
Jeremy McCoy
Jeremy McCoy is an American bass guitar player, known for playing on the road and in the studio with several artists around the world.-Beginning career:...
, who has been with the band since 2009.
The band released its first record, Movement EP
Movement EP
Movement EP is the first EP from Denver-based piano rock band The Fray. It is very rare. The songs "Where You Want To" and "It's For You" feature Joe King on lead vocals and not the band's lead vocalist Isaac Slade. The album was recorded before Dave Welsh and Ben Wysocki joined the band and...
in 2002. The next year, the band released Reason EP
Reason EP
Reason EP is the second EP from Denver-based piano rock band The Fray, released in 2003 by an independent record label. In October 2007, the EP was re-released by Epic Records.-Track listing:...
produced by How To Save A Life co-producer Aaron Johnson
Aaron Johnson (musician)
Aaron Howard Johnson is an American music producer. Aaron has produced and mixed many artists including Secondhand Serenade, Katie Herzig, and Eve6, but he is best known for being the producer of the Denver-based piano rock band The Fray....
, which garnered the band local fame and acclaim. Westword
Westword
Westword is a free alternative weekly newspaper based in Denver, Colorado.Westword was established independently in 1977. In 1983 it was bought by New Times Media. In 2005, New Times acquired Village Voice Media, and changed its name to Village Voice Media...
, an alternative newsweekly
Alternative weekly
An alternative newspaper is a type of newspaper, that eschews comprehensive coverage of general news in favor of stylized reporting, opinionated reviews and columns, investigations into edgy topics and magazine-style feature stories highlighting local people and culture. Their news coverage is more...
, gave Reason EP a positive review, stating "The music is epic, no doubt, but it's played on a wholly human scale". Despite these reviews, the band struggled to launch a single; Denver radio station KTCL
KTCL
KTCL is a commercial radio station owned by Clear Channel Communications that airs a modern rock music format. Licensed to Wheat Ridge, Colorado, it serves the Denver, Colorado area. The station uses the branding "Channel 93.3".-History:...
rejected eight of their songs before the band decided to submit a demo of "Cable Car". The song found airplay on a KTCL radio show highlighting local bands, and the radio station received a large number of requests for it soon thereafter. The band changed the name of the song to "Over My Head (Cable Car)", and as the song's airplay increased alongside their local following, the band was voted "Best New Band" by Westword in 2004. Epic Records
Epic Records
Epic Records is an American record label, owned by Sony Music Entertainment. Though it was originally conceived as a jazz imprint, it has since expanded to represent various genres. L.A...
A&R
A&R
Artists and repertoire is the division of a record label that is responsible for talent scouting and overseeing the artistic development of recording artists. It also acts as a liaison between artists and the record label.- Finding talent :...
man Daniel Davis discovered the band through the article in Westword and soon after, Epic Records officially signed the band on December 17, 2004.
How to Save a Life (2005–2007)
How to Save a Life
How to Save a Life is the debut album by The Fray. Released on September 13, 2005 through Epic Records, the record charted in the top 15 on the Billboard 200 and was a top ten hit in Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand and the UK...
was released on 13 September 2005. "Over My Head (Cable Car)
Over My Head (Cable Car)
"Over My Head " is a song by American rock band The Fray. It is included on their on their debut album How to Save a Life and was the debut single from the album and hit the top 10 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart...
" was released as the first single from the album, and it soon became a top 40 hit on the Modern Rock Tracks
Modern Rock Tracks
Alternative Songs is a music chart in the United States that has appeared in Billboard magazine since September 10, 1988. It lists the 40 most-played songs on modern rock radio stations, most of which are alternative rock songs...
chart in late 2005, peaking at #37. The single gained airplay nationally, entering the Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
chart on the issue marked February 25, 2006. Fourteen weeks later, it reached its peak position at #8 on the Hot 100 chart. On the Billboard Adult Top 40 chart, the single reached the #2 position. Internationally, the song was a Top 25 hit in Australia
ARIA Charts
The ARIA charts are the main Australian music sales charts, issued weekly by the Australian Recording Industry Association. The charts are a record of the highest selling singles and albums in various genres in Australia. ARIA commenced compiling its own charts in-house from the week ending 26 June...
, Canada
Canadian Singles Chart
The Canadian Singles Chart is currently compiled by the U.S.-based music sales tracking company, Nielsen SoundScan . The chart is compiled every Wednesday, and is published by Jam! Canoe on Thursdays....
, Denmark, Ireland
Irish Singles Chart
The Irish Singles Chart is Ireland's music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by the Irish Recorded Music Association and compiled on behalf of the IRMA by Chart-Track. Chart rankings are based on sales, which are compiled through over-the-counter retail data captured...
, New Zealand and the UK
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
. The song was the fifth-most downloaded single of 2006.
While "Over My Head (Cable Car)" was rising on the charts, the song "How to Save a Life
How to Save a Life (song)
"How to Save a Life" is a song by American rock band The Fray. It is the title track from their debut album and was released as the second single from it. The song is one of their most popular airplay songs and peaked in the top 3 of the Billboard Hot 100 chart in the United States...
" was first featured during a second season episode ("Superstition", aired March 19, 2006) of Grey's Anatomy
Grey's Anatomy
Grey's Anatomy is an American medical drama television series created by Shonda Rhimes. The series premiered on March 27, 2005 on ABC; since then, seven seasons have aired. The series follows the lives of interns, residents and their mentors in the fictional Seattle Grace Mercy West Hospital in...
, and then on a fifth season episode ("My Lunch", aired April 25, 2006) of Scrubs
Scrubs (TV series)
Scrubs is an American medical comedy-drama television series created in 2001 by Bill Lawrence and produced by ABC Studios. The show follows the lives of several employees of the fictional Sacred Heart, a teaching hospital. It features fast-paced screenplay, slapstick, and surreal vignettes...
. Despite not having been originally released as a single, "How to Save a Life" entered the Hot 100 chart on the issue marked April 15, 2006. The song was released as the band's second single. On August 18, 2006, ABC
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
announced that the song would be used for the main advertising promotion for the season premiere of Grey's Anatomy.
Only weeks after this promotion started, the song became The Fray's second Top 40 hit in the United States. The song peaked at #3 on the Hot 100 chart, surpassing the peak position of "Over My Head (Cable Car)". It tied for the seventh longest charting single of all time on the Hot 100 chart, with Santana
Santana (band)
Santana is a rock band based around guitarist Carlos Santana and founded in the late 1960s. It first came to public attention after their performing the song "Soul Sacrifice" at the Woodstock Festival in 1969, when their Latin rock provided a contrast to other acts on the bill...
's "Smooth
Smooth (song)
"Smooth" is a collaboration between latin rock band Santana and Rob Thomas of the rock group Matchbox Twenty. The song was written by Thomas and Itaal Shur, sung by Thomas, and won three Grammy Awards, including Record of the Year, Song of the Year, and Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals.-Concept...
", at 58 consecutive weeks. The song also topped the Adult Top 40 chart
Hot Adult Top 40 Tracks
Adult Top 40 is a variation on the United States Billboard charts...
for 15 consecutive weeks. "How to Save a Life" was a major hit internationally, topping the singles chart in Ireland
Irish Singles Chart
The Irish Singles Chart is Ireland's music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by the Irish Recorded Music Association and compiled on behalf of the IRMA by Chart-Track. Chart rankings are based on sales, which are compiled through over-the-counter retail data captured...
, Spain and Canada
Canadian Singles Chart
The Canadian Singles Chart is currently compiled by the U.S.-based music sales tracking company, Nielsen SoundScan . The chart is compiled every Wednesday, and is published by Jam! Canoe on Thursdays....
. The song also charted in the top five in Australia
ARIA Charts
The ARIA charts are the main Australian music sales charts, issued weekly by the Australian Recording Industry Association. The charts are a record of the highest selling singles and albums in various genres in Australia. ARIA commenced compiling its own charts in-house from the week ending 26 June...
, Italy and Sweden and was the band's first hit in the United Kingdom, peaking at #4 on the UK Singles Chart
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
.
"Look After You
Look After You
"Look After You" is a song by the Denver-based piano rock band The Fray from their debut album How to Save a Life. It was released as the album's third single in January 2007 following the widespread success of their previous single "How to Save a Life"...
" was released as the third single from the album. It peaked at #59 on the Hot 100 chart and was the band's first single to miss the Top 40 while the fourth single, "All at Once
All at Once
"All at Once" is a song by Denver-based piano rock band The Fray and is the fourth track and fourth single from their debut album, How to Save a Life.- Music video :...
" failed to crack the Hot 100 chart. However, the success of "Over My Head (Cable Car)" and '"How to Save a Life" had already launched the band into the mainstream, while the album became a commercial success. How to Save a Life peaked at #15 on the U.S. Billboard 200
Billboard 200
The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists...
chart, and charted in the top ten in Australia
ARIA Charts
The ARIA charts are the main Australian music sales charts, issued weekly by the Australian Recording Industry Association. The charts are a record of the highest selling singles and albums in various genres in Australia. ARIA commenced compiling its own charts in-house from the week ending 26 June...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
, New Zealand and the UK
UK Albums Chart
The UK Albums Chart is a list of albums ranked by physical and digital sales in the United Kingdom. It is compiled every week by The Official Charts Company and broadcast on a Sunday on BBC Radio 1 , and published in Music Week magazine and on the OCC website .To qualify for the UK albums chart...
and was certified the best-selling digital album of all time, breaking the record held previously by Coldplay
Coldplay
Coldplay are a British alternative rock band formed in 1996 by lead vocalist Chris Martin and lead guitarist Jonny Buckland at University College London. After they formed Pectoralz, Guy Berryman joined the group as a bassist and they changed their name to Starfish. Will Champion joined as a...
's X&Y
X&Y
X&Y is the third studio album by English rock band Coldplay, released 6 June 2005 in the United Kingdom via the record label Parlophone. The album, which features influences of electronic music, was produced by the band and British record producer Danton Supple...
.
While the album met with commercial success, critical reception from mainstream critics was mixed; Allmusic gave the album a modest review, but stated that the Fray "lacked originality" and the album itself lacked any "inspiration and excitement". Stylus Magazine
Stylus Magazine
Stylus Magazine was an online music and film magazine launched in 2002. It featured long-form music journalism, four daily music reviews, movie reviews, a number of different podcasts, an MP3 blog, and a text blog....
gave the album a negative review, stating "The Fray, as a rule, are moribund, emotionally strained and uninvolving." Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone is a US-based magazine devoted to music, liberal politics, and popular culture that is published every two weeks. Rolling Stone was founded in San Francisco in 1967 by Jann Wenner and music critic Ralph J...
and Blender
Blender (magazine)
Blender was an American music magazine that billed itself as "the ultimate guide to music and more". It was also known for sometimes steamy pictorials of celebrities....
echoed many of these statements while giving the album three stars out of five. However, the album garnered acclaim from Christian music
Christian music
Christian music is music that has been written to express either personal or a communal belief regarding Christian life and faith. Common themes of Christian music include praise, worship, penitence, and lament, and its forms vary widely across the world....
magazines; Jesus Freak Hideout
Jesus Freak Hideout
Jesus Freak Hideout is a Christian music website. The website specializes in reviewing, previewing, and selling Christian albums. The website is known for its album reviews, independent music, artist interviews, concert dates and ministry through devotionals and prayer...
gave the album a glowing review, stating "How to Save Life is nearly perfect" and gave the album a 4.5/5 star rating. HM Magazine
HM Magazine
HM: The Hard Music Magazine is an American bimonthly publication focusing on both Christianity and hard rock. Articles include news, album and festival reviews, posters, artists to watch, indie artist reviews, devotionals and interviews with Christian artists...
, another American magazine devoted to Christian music also gave the album a positive review, rating it 4/5 stars.
To promote the album, The Fray began an extensive worldwide tour and released a live album, Live at the Electric Factory: Bootleg No. 1, on July 18, 2006. The concert was recorded on May 21, 2006 at the Electric Factory in Philadelphia
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Philadelphia County, with which it is coterminous. The city is located in the Northeastern United States along the Delaware and Schuylkill rivers. It is the fifth-most-populous city in the United States,...
, Pennsylvania. On September 19, they re-released How to Save a Life as a CD/DVD set with exclusive content including a documentary on the making of the album. On September 4, 2007, the band released another live album, Acoustic in Nashville: Bootleg No. 2
Acoustic in Nashville: Bootleg No. 2
Acoustic In Nashville – Bootleg No. 2 is the second live album by Denver-based piano rock band The Fray, available on iTunes as well as at some indie stores. It was recorded live in Nashville, Tennessee, in mid-December 2006, and released on September 4, 2007...
, which was recorded in late 2006. The album could only be purchased with the original CD from Target but was made available on the iTunes Music Store on November 13, 2007. On October 16, 2007, the band re-released their 2003 EP, Reason
Reason EP
Reason EP is the second EP from Denver-based piano rock band The Fray, released in 2003 by an independent record label. In October 2007, the EP was re-released by Epic Records.-Track listing:...
. The band also released a live cover of John Lennon
John Lennon
John Winston Lennon, MBE was an English musician and singer-songwriter who rose to worldwide fame as one of the founding members of The Beatles, one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music...
and Yoko Ono
Yoko Ono
is a Japanese artist, musician, author and peace activist, known for her work in avant-garde art, music and filmmaking as well as her marriage to John Lennon...
's "Happy Xmas (War Is Over)
Happy Xmas (War Is Over)
"Happy Xmas " is a song written by John Lennon and Yoko Ono and released in 1971 as a single by John & Yoko/Plastic Ono Band with the Harlem Community Choir....
" as a 2006 Christmas single (it debuted and peaked on the Hot 100 chart at #50 on the strength of a large number of digital downloads) and worked with Reverb
Reverb (non-profit)
Reverb is a non-profit environmental organization that educates and engages musicians and their fans to promote environmental sustainability. It was founded by environmentalist Lauren Sullivan and her musician husband, Guster guitarist/vocalist Adam Gardner....
, a non-profit environmental
Environmentalism
Environmentalism is a broad philosophy, ideology and social movement regarding concerns for environmental conservation and improvement of the health of the environment, particularly as the measure for this health seeks to incorporate the concerns of non-human elements...
organization, for their 2007 summer tour.
The Fray (2008–2009)
The band finished recording their self-titled second albumThe Fray (album)
The Fray is the second studio album by The Fray. Released on February 3, 2009, through Epic Records, the album debuted at number-one on the Billboard 200 chart, and became a top 5 hit in Australia and Canada. It was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Pop Vocal Album in 2010...
at the end of July 2008 for a February 3, 2009 release. The album was produced by Aaron Johnson
Aaron Johnson (musician)
Aaron Howard Johnson is an American music producer. Aaron has produced and mixed many artists including Secondhand Serenade, Katie Herzig, and Eve6, but he is best known for being the producer of the Denver-based piano rock band The Fray....
and Mike Flynn, the same production duo from the band's debut album, and recorded by Warren Huart
Warren Huart
Warren Huart is an English record producer/musician/composer and recording engineer based in Los Angeles, California. He currently lives in Silver Lake, Los Angeles, California with his wife and son.- Biography :...
. A documentary, Fair Fight, directed by Rod Blackhurst was included with the first 300,000 copies of the second album. The lead single
Lead single
A lead single is usually the first single released by a musician or a band before the release of its home album.During the era of the grammophone record, all music arrived in the marketplace as what is now termed a single, one potential hit song backed by an additional song of generally less...
from the album, "You Found Me" debuted online on December 9, 2009, on VH1.com, and debuted at #28 on the Hot 100 chart, the band's highest debut on the chart to date. The song peaked at #7 on the chart, (making it the band's second highest charting single) and topped the Billboard Hot Adult Top 40 Tracks
Hot Adult Top 40 Tracks
Adult Top 40 is a variation on the United States Billboard charts...
chart as well as the Australian Singles Chart
ARIA Charts
The ARIA charts are the main Australian music sales charts, issued weekly by the Australian Recording Industry Association. The charts are a record of the highest selling singles and albums in various genres in Australia. ARIA commenced compiling its own charts in-house from the week ending 26 June...
, becoming the band's first song to reach number-one in Australia. It is also the band's third song to sell 2 million digital downloads in the United States, after "Over My Head (Cable Car)" and "How to Save a Life". Following the success of "You Found Me", the album, released on February 3, 2009, debuted at number-one on the Billboard 200
Billboard 200
The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists...
chart, selling 179,000 copies in its first week of release. The music video was directed by fellow Denver native Josh Forbes
Josh Forbes
Josh Forbes is an American music video director. He has directed videos for The Fray, Sara Bareilles, Good Charlotte, Alkaline Trio, Metro Station , Coheed and Cambria, Sea Wolf, Barenaked Ladies, and Ingrid Michaelson, and Jenny Owen Youngs. Forbes is signed to More Media for music videos and...
. It was filmed in Chicago and was an homage to the Wim Wenders
Wim Wenders
Ernst Wilhelm "Wim" Wenders is a German film director, playwright, author, photographer and producer.-Early life:Wenders was born in Düsseldorf. He graduated from high school in Oberhausen in the Ruhr area. He then studied medicine and philosophy in Freiburg and Düsseldorf...
film Wings of Desire
Wings of Desire
Wings of Desire is a 1987 Franco-German romantic fantasy film directed by Wim Wenders. The film is about invisible, immortal angels who populate Berlin and listen to the thoughts of the human inhabitants and comfort those who are in distress...
On February 3, 2009, The Fray released their self-titled sophomore effort to the Christian market. The band opted to release their second album in both markets. In a video for the song “You Found Me” that includes some behind the scenes footage, lead vocalist Isaac Slade says that this album is what they would have done the first time if they had the time, and where they want to go for the rest of their career. On February 13, 2009, The Fray wrote a song called "Be the One". The song was written in the space of 24 hours when Q asked the band to write a love song for the occasion of Valentine's Day
Valentine's Day
Saint Valentine's Day, commonly shortened to Valentine's Day, is an annual commemoration held on February 14 celebrating love and affection between intimate companions. The day is named after one or more early Christian martyrs named Saint Valentine, and was established by Pope Gelasius I in 496...
. The demo version of the song was released worldwide on the band's official website on 11 November 2009. The band also covered Kanye West
Kanye West
Kanye Omari West is an American rapper, singer, and record producer. West first rose to fame as a producer for Roc-A-Fella Records, where he eventually achieved recognition for his work on Jay-Z's album The Blueprint, as well as hit singles for musical artists including Alicia Keys, Ludacris, and...
's song "Heartless
Heartless (Kanye West song)
"Heartless" is a song by American hip hop artist Kanye West, released on November 4, 2008 digitally as the second single for his fourth studio album, 808s & Heartbreak. It debuted at the number four spot on the Billboard Hot 100 where it eventually peaked at number two and reached number-one on the...
" which charted at #79 on the Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
, while a video for the cover was released worldwide on iTunes
ITunes
iTunes is a media player computer program, used for playing, downloading, and organizing digital music and video files on desktop computers. It can also manage contents on iPod, iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad....
on August 11, 2009. Both songs were included in the deluxe edition of the band's second album. "Heartless" was also included on the band's third live album, The Fray: Live from SoHo
The Fray: Live from SoHo
The Fray: Live from SoHo is an iTunes-exclusive album by Denver-based piano rock band The Fray. Released on April 7, 2009, it is the band's third live session and was recorded in SoHo on February 3, 2009. There was a special pass version made for the album, making The Fray the second artist in...
, which was released on April 7, 2009. On 10 November 2009, the band released the deluxe edition of The Fray which contained a second disc of never before released songs, including "Heartless".
"Never Say Never
Never Say Never (The Fray song)
"Never Say Never" or "Never Say Never " is a song by Denver-based piano rock band The Fray that was included on their second studio album, The Fray...
" was released as the second single from the album. The song was a modest hit in the United States; it peaked at #32 on the Hot 100 chart and at #10 on the Hot Adult Top 40 Tracks chart while internationally, it failed to match the success of "You Found Me". The third single from the album, "Syndicate
Syndicate (song)
Syndicate is a song by Denver-based piano rock band The Fray. It is the opening track and the third single from their eponymous second studio album. It was released on January 12, 2010 for radio airplay, while the music video was released on 9 February 2010...
", released on 12 January 2010, failed to achieve any notable success even in the United States; it only managed to peak at #16 on the Hot Adult Top 40 Tracks and at #40 on the Pop Songs chart, becoming the band's second single to miss the Hot 100 chart and the lowest charting single from the album.
Again, critical reception to the album was mixed. Rolling Stone termed the album as "nothing new" while Entertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly is an American magazine, published by the Time division of Time Warner, that covers film, television, music, broadway theatre, books and popular culture...
stated, "The Fray is all blah, all the time: more minor-key melodies and more dreary tempos." Allmusic, whilst giving the album a modestly positive review, echoed many of these statements, commenting that "the songcraft remains virtually unchanged" and termed the album as "How to Save a Life – Part 2." However, AbsolutePunk criticized the negative reviews, stating, "For what it's worth, the Denver quintet has released a charming, appealing record that would be far more praiseworthy if it didn't sound so much like its predecessor...it may be an album a lot like its predecessor, but that isn't exactly a bad thing." At Metacritic
Metacritic
Metacritic.com is a website that collates reviews of music albums, games, movies, TV shows and DVDs. For each product, a numerical score from each review is obtained and the total is averaged. An excerpt of each review is provided along with a hyperlink to the source. Three colour codes of Green,...
, a review aggregate website, the album holds a rating of 56/100 based on 9 professional reviews, meaning "mixed or average reviews".
Christmas EP (2009-2010)
The Fray collaborated with TimbalandTimbaland
Timothy Zachery Mosley , better known by his stage name Timbaland, is an American record producer, songwriter and rapper....
on his album, Shock Value II
Shock Value II
Shock Value II is the third solo studio album, from American record producer Timbaland serving as the second volume of the platinum-selling Shock Value which topped charts worldwide and received 16 platinum certifications....
, which was released on December 8, 2009. The band was featured on the song "Undertow", which, despite not being released as a single, entered the Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
at #100, the week ending November 28, 2009. On December 22, 2009, the band released an EP
Extended play
An EP is a musical recording which contains more music than a single, but is too short to qualify as a full album or LP. The term EP originally referred only to specific types of vinyl records other than 78 rpm standard play records and LP records, but it is now applied to mid-length Compact...
, Christmas
Christmas EP (The Fray album)
Christmas EP is the third EP by the Denver-based piano-rock band, The Fray. The EP was released for the Christmas season of 2009 as a free download for anyone who signed up for their new fan club...
as a free download from the band's official website. The EP contained five acoustic covers of popular christmas carols.
In an interview with Westword
Westword
Westword is a free alternative weekly newspaper based in Denver, Colorado.Westword was established independently in 1977. In 1983 it was bought by New Times Media. In 2005, New Times acquired Village Voice Media, and changed its name to Village Voice Media...
in June 2010, guitarist Dave Welsh announced that the band are currently working on an EP containing covers of songs by artists such as Annie Lennox
Annie Lennox
Annie Lennox, OBE , born Ann Lennox, is a Scottish singer-songwriter, political activist and philanthropist. After achieving minor success in the late 1970s with The Tourists, with fellow musician David A...
, Billy Joel
Billy Joel
William Martin "Billy" Joel is an American musician and pianist, singer-songwriter, and classical composer. Since releasing his first hit song, "Piano Man", in 1973, Joel has become the sixth best-selling recording artist and the third best-selling solo artist in the United States, according to...
, Bruce Springsteen
Bruce Springsteen
Bruce Frederick Joseph Springsteen , nicknamed "The Boss," is an American singer-songwriter who records and tours with the E Street Band...
and Bob Marley
Bob Marley
Robert Nesta "Bob" Marley, OM was a Jamaican singer-songwriter and musician. He was the rhythm guitarist and lead singer for the ska, rocksteady and reggae band Bob Marley & The Wailers...
but did not give a specific release date.
Scars and Stories (2011–present)
The Fray's third album, Scars and Stories, was produced by Brendan O'BrienBrendan O'Brien (music producer)
Brendan O’Brien is a record producer, mixer, engineer, and musician.At age 14, O'Brien played guitar for the Atlanta-based cover band Pranks. In the late 1970s, he moved on to writing, performing and recording with the Samurai Catfish band...
(best known for his work with Bruce Springsteen
Bruce Springsteen
Bruce Frederick Joseph Springsteen , nicknamed "The Boss," is an American singer-songwriter who records and tours with the E Street Band...
, Pearl Jam
Pearl Jam
Pearl Jam is an American rock band that formed in Seattle, Washington, in 1990. Since its inception, the band's line-up has included Eddie Vedder , Jeff Ament , Stone Gossard , and Mike McCready...
and Rage Against the Machine
Rage Against the Machine
Rage Against the Machine is an American rock band from Los Angeles, California. Formed in 1991, the group's line-up consists of vocalist Zack de la Rocha, bassist and backing vocalist Tim Commerford, guitarist Tom Morello and drummer Brad Wilk...
) and was recorded in Blackbird studio, located in Nashville, Tennessee
Tennessee
Tennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...
. During an interview with Colorado Daily, Isaac Slade
Isaac Slade
Isaac Edward Slade is the lead vocalist, main songwriter, pianist, and co-founder of Denver-based piano rock band The Fray.-Early years:...
explained why the band had recruited Brendan O'Brien as their producer; "Sonically, we wanted to make this record sound as close as possible to the live shows", citing Pearl Jam and Springsteen as influences, for the sound of the record, that they were trying to capture.
As for the lyrical aspect of the album, Slade mentions that the lyrics capture a more aggressive tone, than their previous records. During an interview with Westword
Westword
Westword is a free alternative weekly newspaper based in Denver, Colorado.Westword was established independently in 1977. In 1983 it was bought by New Times Media. In 2005, New Times acquired Village Voice Media, and changed its name to Village Voice Media...
, Isaac Slade mentioned working titles for three new tracks that will most likely be appearing on the third album; "Heartbeat," "The Fighter" and "Here We Are." Other possible tracks are titled "Burning", "48 To Go", and "Be Still". These track listings were confirmed on October 18, 2011 on The Fray's official website. Joe King
Joe King
Joe King was a fictional character in a comic strip in the UK comic The Beano. It first appeared in The Beano in issue 2783, dated 18 November 1995. His name was a pun on "Joking."...
will be recording both guitar (primary) and bass for several songs on the third album.
Mixing for the third record began on June 21, 2011. On July 14, 2011 Isaac Slade confirmed that the mixing and recording for the third album had been completed via Twitter "Finished our third record about half an hour ago. -is". When asked about possible release dates for the album, Slade mentioned his hope that the album will be out by October 2011, or at least in time for Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving Day is a holiday celebrated primarily in the United States and Canada. Thanksgiving is celebrated each year on the second Monday of October in Canada and on the fourth Thursday of November in the United States. In Canada, Thanksgiving falls on the same day as Columbus Day in the...
.
On August 5, 2011 The Fray had a photo-shoot for the third record, with photographer Danny Clinch
Danny Clinch
Danny Clinch is a photographer and film director who was born in Toms River, New Jersey in 1964. He graduated from Toms River High School East in 1982 and after attending Ocean County College, he attended the New England School of Photography, a two-year institution located in Boston, MA.Clinch...
.
On September 13, during a live performance at the Ryman Auditorium
Ryman Auditorium
The Ryman Auditorium is a 2,362-seat live performance venue, located at 115 5th Avenue North, in Nashville, Tennessee and is best known as the historic home of the Grand Ole Opry....
in Nashville, the band announced that the new album is titled Scars and Stories, and performed the first single from the new album titled "Heartbeat
Heartbeat (The Fray song)
"Heartbeat" is the first single from The Fray's third album Scars & Stories. The band premiered the song while opening for U2 on their U2 360° Tour in May 2011...
". They also performed a song called "Run For Your Life" which is going to appear on the third record.
"Heartbeat" was released to radio on October 8, 2011 and was released for download October 11, 2011 on iTunes
ITunes
iTunes is a media player computer program, used for playing, downloading, and organizing digital music and video files on desktop computers. It can also manage contents on iPod, iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad....
. The single debuted at number 43 on the Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
chart. The album is scheduled to be released on February 7, 2012. The Fray started promotion for the new single and album by touring various radio stations, and are scheduled for TV appearances as well.
The band also contributed a cover of "Take Your Time
Take Your Time
Take Your Time is the third and final album by Scatman John. Released six months before his death on December 3; although he suffered from lung cancer through most of the recording, he still managed to release the album....
" to the tribute album Listen to Me: Buddy Holly, released September 6, 2011.
Musical style and songwriting
How to Save a Life consisted of a mix of mid-tempo piano-driven pop rockPop rock
Pop rock is a music genre which mixes a catchy pop style and light lyrics in its guitar-based rock songs. There are varying definitions of the term, ranging from a slower and mellower form of rock music to a subgenre of pop music...
tracks and power ballads
Power Ballads
Power Ballads is the debut album by Aqueduct. It was recorded by Trent Bell at Bell Labs and self-released on February 25, 2003. After releasing the album, frontman David Terry relocated to Seattle, Washington. Twelve hours after Terry's arrival in Seattle, Aqueduct opened for Modest Mouse...
. The band's second album spread the spectrum of the music: the pop rock songs were faster and more energetic, while the ballads were softer than the ballads on the first album.
Lead vocalist
Lead vocalist
The lead vocalist is the member of a band who sings the main vocal portions of a song. They may also play one or more instruments. Lead vocalists are sometimes referred to as the frontman or frontwoman, and as such, are usually considered to be the "leader" of the groups they perform in, often the...
and pianist
Pianist
A pianist is a musician who plays the piano. A professional pianist can perform solo pieces, play with an ensemble or orchestra, or accompany one or more singers, solo instrumentalists, or other performers.-Choice of genres:...
Isaac Slade
Isaac Slade
Isaac Edward Slade is the lead vocalist, main songwriter, pianist, and co-founder of Denver-based piano rock band The Fray.-Early years:...
's vocals feature falsetto
Falsetto
Falsetto is the vocal register occupying the frequency range just above the modal voice register and overlapping with it by approximately one octave. It is produced by the vibration of the ligamentous edges of the vocal folds, in whole or in part...
and a strong American accent. His vocal style on the debut album was marked by a simple and emotive style. On the second album, his vocals, while retaining the basic style on the debut album, were stronger, edgier and more aggressive, most notably on the tracks "We Build Then We Break" and "Say When".
The lyrics on both albums revolve around life's problems and issues. Common themes include happiness
Happiness
Happiness is a mental state of well-being characterized by positive emotions ranging from contentment to intense joy. A variety of biological, psychological, religious, and philosophical approaches have striven to define happiness and identify its sources....
, sadness
Sadness
Sadness is emotional pain associated with, or characterized by feelings of disadvantage, loss, despair, helplessness, sorrow, and rage. When sad, people often become outspoken, less energetic, and emotional...
, death
Death
Death is the permanent termination of the biological functions that sustain a living organism. Phenomena which commonly bring about death include old age, predation, malnutrition, disease, and accidents or trauma resulting in terminal injury....
, the problem of evil
Problem of evil
In the philosophy of religion, the problem of evil is the question of how to explain evil if there exists a deity that is omnibenevolent, omnipotent, and omniscient . Some philosophers have claimed that the existences of such a god and of evil are logically incompatible or unlikely...
, relationships, and war
War
War is a state of organized, armed, and often prolonged conflict carried on between states, nations, or other parties typified by extreme aggression, social disruption, and usually high mortality. War should be understood as an actual, intentional and widespread armed conflict between political...
. The honest and emotional nature of the lyrics has also had critics labeling The Fray as emo
Emo
Emo is a style of rock music and its associated subcultureEmo may also refer to:- Businesses :* Emo , an Irish oil company and filling station chain* Emo Speedway, a racetrack in Emo, Ontario...
, comparing them to mainstream emo acts like Jimmy Eat World
Jimmy Eat World
Jimmy Eat World is an American alternative rock band from Mesa, Arizona, that formed in 1993. The band is composed of lead vocalist and guitarist Jim Adkins, guitarist and backing vocalist Tom Linton, bassist Rick Burch and drummer Zach Lind....
. The Fray's initial songs contained lyrics with strong messages. However, by the time they began work on their debut album, the band decided against being an entirely religious outfit because they believe that God has called them away from the, "Christian music genre and into a secular market".
Band members
Current members- Joe KingJoe King (guitarist)Joe King is the guitarist, backing vocalist, songwriter and co-founder of Denver-based piano rock band The Fray.-Early life:Joe King was born on May 25, 1980 in Colorado, and is of Spanish descent...
– rhythm guitar, backing vocals (2002–present) - Isaac SladeIsaac SladeIsaac Edward Slade is the lead vocalist, main songwriter, pianist, and co-founder of Denver-based piano rock band The Fray.-Early years:...
– lead vocals, piano (2002–present) - Dave WelshDave WelshDavid "Dave" Welsh is the lead guitarist for the Denver-based piano rock band The Fray.-Early life:Welsh was born in Tucson, Arizona and attended D'Evelyn High School in Denver, Colorado but later transferred to Ralston Valley High School in Arvada, Colorado...
– lead guitar (2003–present) - Ben WysockiBen WysockiBenjamin Wysocki is the drummer for Denver-based piano rock band The Fray.-Early life:Wysocki was born in Denver, Colorado, in a conservative household. After struggling with piano lessons , he began to learn how to play drums in the sixth grade...
– drums (2003–present)
Touring members
- Jeremy McCoyJeremy McCoyJeremy McCoy is an American bass guitar player, known for playing on the road and in the studio with several artists around the world.-Beginning career:...
– bass guitar (2009–present)
Former members
- Mike Ayars – lead guitar (2002–2003)
- Dan Battenhouse – bass guitar (2002–2004)
- Zach Johnson – drums (2002–2003)
- Caleb Slade – bass guitar (2002)
Discography
Studio albums- 2005: How to Save a LifeHow to Save a LifeHow to Save a Life is the debut album by The Fray. Released on September 13, 2005 through Epic Records, the record charted in the top 15 on the Billboard 200 and was a top ten hit in Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand and the UK...
- 2009: The FrayThe Fray (album)The Fray is the second studio album by The Fray. Released on February 3, 2009, through Epic Records, the album debuted at number-one on the Billboard 200 chart, and became a top 5 hit in Australia and Canada. It was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Pop Vocal Album in 2010...
- 2012: Scars and Stories
Awards and nominations
2006- Billboard Music AwardBillboard Music AwardThe Billboard Music Award is an honor given by Billboard magazine, the preeminent publication covering the music business. The Billboard Music Awards show had been held annually in December until it went dormant in 2007, but it returned in May 2011...
– Digital Album of the Year for How to Save a LifeHow to Save a LifeHow to Save a Life is the debut album by The Fray. Released on September 13, 2005 through Epic Records, the record charted in the top 15 on the Billboard 200 and was a top ten hit in Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand and the UK...
. - Billboard Music AwardBillboard Music AwardThe Billboard Music Award is an honor given by Billboard magazine, the preeminent publication covering the music business. The Billboard Music Awards show had been held annually in December until it went dormant in 2007, but it returned in May 2011...
– Digital Album Artist of the Year. - Billboard Music AwardBillboard Music AwardThe Billboard Music Award is an honor given by Billboard magazine, the preeminent publication covering the music business. The Billboard Music Awards show had been held annually in December until it went dormant in 2007, but it returned in May 2011...
– Digital Songs Artist of the Year. - Billboard Music AwardBillboard Music AwardThe Billboard Music Award is an honor given by Billboard magazine, the preeminent publication covering the music business. The Billboard Music Awards show had been held annually in December until it went dormant in 2007, but it returned in May 2011...
– New Artist of the Year (Nominated).
2007
- Grammy AwardGrammy AwardA Grammy Award — or Grammy — is an accolade by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to recognize outstanding achievement in the music industry...
– Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal for "Over My Head (Cable Car)Over My Head (Cable Car)"Over My Head " is a song by American rock band The Fray. It is included on their on their debut album How to Save a Life and was the debut single from the album and hit the top 10 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart...
" (Nominated). - Grammy AwardGrammy AwardA Grammy Award — or Grammy — is an accolade by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to recognize outstanding achievement in the music industry...
– Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal for "How to Save a LifeHow to Save a Life (song)"How to Save a Life" is a song by American rock band The Fray. It is the title track from their debut album and was released as the second single from it. The song is one of their most popular airplay songs and peaked in the top 3 of the Billboard Hot 100 chart in the United States...
" (Nominated). - Teen Choice Award – Choice Music: Breakout Group (Nominated).
2009
- Teen Choice Award – Choice Music: Rock Track for "You Found Me" (Nominated).
2010
- Grammy AwardGrammy AwardA Grammy Award — or Grammy — is an accolade by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to recognize outstanding achievement in the music industry...
– Best Pop Vocal AlbumGrammy Award for Best Pop Vocal AlbumThe Grammy Award for Best Pop Vocal Album is an honor presented at the Grammy Awards, a ceremony that was established in 1958 and originally called the Gramophone Awards, to recording artists for quality pop music albums...
for The FrayThe Fray (album)The Fray is the second studio album by The Fray. Released on February 3, 2009, through Epic Records, the album debuted at number-one on the Billboard 200 chart, and became a top 5 hit in Australia and Canada. It was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Pop Vocal Album in 2010...
(Nominated). - Grammy AwardGrammy AwardA Grammy Award — or Grammy — is an accolade by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to recognize outstanding achievement in the music industry...
– Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal, for "Never Say NeverNever Say Never (The Fray song)"Never Say Never" or "Never Say Never " is a song by Denver-based piano rock band The Fray that was included on their second studio album, The Fray...
" (Nominated). - APRA AwardsAPRA Awards of 2010The Australasian Performing Right Association Awards of 2010 are a series of awards which include the APRA Music Awards, Classical Music Awards, and Screen Music Awards...
– International Work of the Year, for "You Found Me".