Lesley Garrett

Photographer

    As of late, “Heartbeat” has been pumping through the radio waves; an occurrence that is not at all a surprise. The Fray released their latest album, Scars and Stories, on February 7, 2012. The tracks tell tales of love, heartbreak, and hope. A lovely addition to The Fray’s discography, this album definitely holds true to the band’s personal style.

    The first track on the album, also the previously released single, is titled “Heartbeat.” Inspired by a trip to Rwanda, “Heartbeat” is a notable song. Isaac Slade, lead singer/songwriter, states that it’s about "a woman escaping a horrible situation in the middle of the night and coming back to life.” The emotion is evoked using nice lyrics and repetitive, yet relaxed and optimistic melodies. While quite similar to “Syndicate,” a track on The Fray’s self-titled album, “Heartbeat,” is definitely worth listening to at least once.

    Standing out from the rest of the tracks, relatively speaking, is “Munich.” Beginning with the singing of stringed instruments, the song softly transitions from orchestra to a single guitar strumming. Vocals start, and one knows this is The Fray at their best. Having a slow yet graceful tempo, the song swings from chord to chord like a ballroom dance.

    All and all, Scars and Stories is rather quality composition. While it may be repetitive at times, this album will definitely cater to the band’s fans’ tastes.