With 20 years behind it, The Fray is rediscovering what it means to be a band. 

The Colorado-based pop-rock act — which includes new lead singer Joe King, drummer Joe Wysocki and guitarist Dave Welsh — returned to the road recently in support of its album, “A Light That Waits.” The itinerary includes a co-headlining gig with Dashboard Confessional on Monday, July 27, at Arizona Financial Theatre in Phoenix. (Former singer Isaac Slade stepped down to prioritize his family.)

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The production is so large that Wysocki is still learning the crew’s names. 

“It hasn’t been that way in The Fray fam for a while,” Wysocki said. “It puts a really healthy amount of pressure on us.”

The Fray — whose former singer, Isaac Slade, stepped down to prioritize his family — is no stranger to pressure. The band rose to prominence in the early 2000s with its piano-driven pop, earning four Grammy nominations, three Billboard Music Awards, and an RIAA Diamond-certified “How to Save a Life.” The song spent 58 weeks on the Billboard Hot 100 and became synonymous with “Grey’s Anatomy.”

“A Light That Waits” is The Fray’s first new album in 12 years, and the first time the trio co-wrote everything on a record, including the single “Ice Cold Lakes.” 

“My Heart’s a Crowded Room,” “A Light That Waits,” “After You on the God,” “Still Got You” and “Emeralds” were started from scratch. “Twenty-plus years into our career, to still be discovering some new process was really exciting,” Wysocki said. “So much ‘life’ happens in 12 years. Our goal was to let all of that ‘life’ come through.” 

Now The Fray is showcasing its catalog on its jaunt. Wysocki said learning the new songs has been challenging. 

“We’re learning which of these new ones are the high-energy moment, the playful song, the dark, moody, infinite one,” said Wysocki, a self-described foodie who loves Pizzeria Bianco. 

“Songs have personalities on stage. And they’re different than what we thought they were in the studio. Songs come to life in front of people. That’s the true test.”

He compared it to baseball — stepping up to the plate again after years away.

“We have another opportunity now up at bat, and we’re swinging as hard as we can.”