Fray Is Back [CD], Fray, CD

Arriving ahead of the 20th anniversary of their four-times-platinum debut album How to Save a Life-a 2005 LP whose title track spent 58 weeks on the Billboard Hot 100-The Fray Is Back emerged from a highly collaborative process propelled by unbridled exploration, beginning with all three members working remotely in their respective cities. "We didn't start out with any definitive expectations for this new material," says King. "We were just sharing ideas with each other and going on our own journey with the songs, and it became a unifying force that gave us new purpose and direction." In a particularly monumental shift, the EP marks the first time that King (the band's longtime lead songwriter) has personally delivered his deeply introspective lyrics. Co-produced by The Fray with Andrew DeRoberts (Fitz and the Tantrums, Zac Brown Band), Ryan Linvill (Conan Gray, Chappell Roan), and Joe London (Thomas Rhett, Bailey Zimmerman), the six-song effort ultimately echoes the newly revitalized creative energy the band brought to each track. "Before our hiatus there was a sense that we didn't need to fix what wasn't broken, so we weren't necessarily adding new fuel to the fire," says Wysocki. "This time we were working in a completely new way where we allowed ourselves a lot more freedom, and it felt so fun and empowering-almost like a collaborative art project, which is really what this band has always been."