The Fray

Formed in the early 2000s in Denver, Colorado, The Fray first established itself on the local scene before signing with a national label and moving toward piano‑driven alternative rock, sitting between pop rock and melodic balladry. Built around singer and pianist Isaac Slade and guitarist Joe King, the band developed a sound marked by restrained guitar arrangements, vocal harmonies and lyrics focused on relationships and questions of faith. The release of the album How to Save a Life in 2005 was a turning point, with tracks such as Over My Head (Cable Car) and How to Save a Life bringing The Fray wider recognition—helped significantly by heavy exposure in American television series. The second album, simply titled The Fray (2009), followed by Scars & Stories (2012) and Helios (2014), continued this approach while occasionally incorporating more pop influences and atmospheric textures. At the same time, The Fray toured extensively across the United States and Europe, alternating club dates and festival appearances, and issued the compilation Through the Years: The Best of The Fray in 2016, which summarizes that initial phase of their career before the band gradually reduced its collective activity in favor of individual members’ projects.