Time Heals Everything- A close look at "The Fray" by The Fray

This week’s album review comes from The Fray’s 2009 sophomore album entitled “The Fray.” I feel that “Time Heals”, an unreleased track from the album, could have been just as good a title for the album. The album is full of vulnerability and pain. Band members Isaac Slade and Joe King dig deep into their pasts and put their hearts on the line on this record. The album radiates musical maturity that the band just didn’t have on their first record “How To Save A Life.” From the first notes of the first track “Syndicate” the listener can tell that they are in for something a little bit different with this record. The band went through a lot of frustrations in making this album, which can be seen in their documentary “Fair Fight.” The album cries of these frustrations and troubles and it gives the listener a unique experience that was born out of making the record. “Where the Story Ends” is a great, upbeat track that couples with it sad lyrics at the same time. This song nearly killed the band, but because of their endurance and perseverance it ends up being one of the best tracks on the record.

                Isaac and Joe, once again, provide two tracks that will keep you listening again and again. “Ungodly Hour” and “Happiness” are those feel good sad songs. I know that sounds like a contradiction, but I think you know what I mean when I describe them in this way.

                “Ungodly Hour” is a song that many listeners can relate to as it speaks of lost love and how the titular character wishes they could carry the baggage and the pain of the relationship, but the time for that has passed.

“Happiness” is a unique work of art. The lyrics describe a scene in which the titular speaker is missing someone and is telling how the happiness he had is now killing him because his love is away from him, but then in the end he reconciles this pain by saying that “one day you’ll wake up and she’ll be home.” One of most interesting lyrics from this song is “Happiness will damn near destroy you.” At first this may not make sense to you, but if you consider how you would feel if your husband/wife, boyfriend/girlfriend was away from you thousands of miles away for an extended amount of time, I think you will understand the pain behind the statement.

                This record will keep you singing and thinking. The Fray delivers one of the best albums of alternative rock and with their third record, “Scars and Stories,” it doesn’t look like they will be slowing down for a good while.