Chris Arthur did not set out to make an album. When a relationship came to an end, songwriting became an unexpected outlet for the emotions that followed. The songs arrived with such speed that Arthur began recording them as voice memos and sending them privately to friends. What started as a personal method of survival gradually became the foundation for Underneath The Scar, his debut album.
The ten-track record documents a difficult period without attempting to disguise its emotional weight. Arthur wrote the songs as he worked through the collapse of a relationship, moving from grief and confusion toward reflection, resilience and hope. Instead of changing the sequence after the fact, he kept the songs in the order they were written, allowing the album to function as a direct emotional timeline. The journey begins with “All That Glitters Isn’t Gold” and develops from personal devastation toward a sense of renewal.
For Arthur, the album also represents the moment when he finally allowed himself to believe he belonged in front of the spotlight. His longstanding friendship with Eric Sanderson played a central role in that transformation. Sanderson, co-founder and multi-instrumentalist of Augustines, produced, recorded and mixed the album, providing both musical guidance and the reassurance Arthur needed to confront his insecurities.
Their relationship dates back more than 25 years, beginning with Arthur’s work as Tour Manager for Sanderson’s former band Pela. Arthur later continued working alongside Augustines in various capacities during much of the band’s rise between 2011 and 2016, and he appeared in Todd Howe’s award-winning documentary Rise: The Story of Augustines. “The songs started pouring out like I was bailing water out of me so I wouldn’t drown,” Arthur says, describing the urgency behind the record. Sanderson’s encouragement helped him remain in that vulnerable space long enough to turn those songs into an album.
Now based in Southern California after growing up in Buffalo, New York, Arthur is using Underneath The Scar to explore how music can help people understand the experiences that leave permanent marks. The album’s acoustic-driven arrangements and organic performances put the songwriting at the center, resisting the pressure to prioritize perfection. What emerges is a debut that is deeply personal but deliberately open-ended, allowing listeners to hear Arthur’s story while finding their own experiences reflected within it.
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