The Fray Scars & Stories

Scars & Stories was recorded beginning in March 2011, and concluded in July 2011. During an interview with Vevo the band revealed that they used part of the album's budget to travel and see the world before recording Scars and Stories. For instance, the first single "Heartbeat" was inspired by a trip to Rwanda, and the tracks "Munich" and "Rainy Zurich" were inspired by their journey to those locations. Joe King explained "You pull from different locations and places. There’s the cultures and the different people you meet living life...You have to live life, you have to have experiences in order to be able to write stories.”

Unlike their debut album How to Save a Life and their self-titled second album, which were both produced by Aaron Johnson and Mike Flynn, their third album was produced by Brendan O'Brien. During a performance at the Hard Rock cafe in Boston, Massachusetts, Isaac Slade stated that the album Scars & Stories was named after a B-side that did not make it onto the third record. He went on to explain that each of the band members have been through a lot of hardships, but collectively they were able to pull through. "We've been through a lot of stuff personally, and as band we're still together, and I think we like the idea of scars you know, because they're healed you know. They are not like wounds necessarily, but they're still kind of a road map of where you been, and sometimes kinda point to where you want to go." The album was made available to pre-order on October 18, 2011 on the band's website. On December 20, 2011 the deluxe edition of the album became available for pre-order on Itunes, featuring 5 bonus tracks; all covers. In addition, the band made the single "The Fighter" available for download.

During a performance at the University at Buffalo, Issac Slade mentions that he wrote the song "The Fighter" while on a "getaway" in a cottage, located in the mountains of Colorado. The song was inspired by a picture he saw in a book he purchased by American painter Norman Rockwell; depicting a boxer who has succumb to his opponent, and a female companion by his side. The photo/painting he is referring to, is called "The Boxer" by Normal Rockwell. The album artwork was revealed on November 16, 2011; following the video premiere of the first single, Heartbeat.

Track List

1. Heartbeat

2. The Fighter

3. Turn Me On

4. Run for Your Life

5. The Wind

6. 1961

7. I Can Barely Say

8. Munich

9. Here We Are

10. 48 to Go

11. Rainy Zurich

12. Be Still

Pre-Order iTunes Deluxe edition bonus tracks (all cover songs)

1. "Maps" (Yeah Yeah Yeahs)

2. "Ready or Not" (The Fugees)

3. "Why" (Annie Lennox)

4. "Boulder to Birmingham"(Emmylou Harris)

5. Streets of Philadelphia"(Bruce Springsteen)