lifehouse

2005 / 3 stars / lifehouse / reviews — No Comments
8
Dec 08

Lifehouse (2005) by Lifehouse

Genre: pop, alternative
Rating:
“Undone,” “You and Me,” and “Blind.”
myspace, last.fm
Lifehouse’s Who We Are, Dishwalla’s Opaline

In this first album since member Sergio Andrade left the band, Lifehouse uses their music to ‘detoxify’ and find their footing. The lyrics returned to Wade’s familiar territory of teenage angst for parents and the world, while the arrangements softened to give the album a supposedly-introspective feel. Instead, much of the album induces somnolence, most especially the repetition of the ridiculous lyrics in their hit single, “You and Me.” Thankfully, Lifehouse returned in 2007 with the much more palatable Who We Are.

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2007 / 4 stars / lifehouse / reviews — 1 Comment
16
Sep 08

Who We Are (2007) by Lifehouse

Genre: pop, rock
Rating:
Check Out: “Easier to Be,” “Broken,” “Storm,” and “Whatever It Takes.”
myspace

After two huge missteps in their previous albums Stanley Climbfall and Lifehouse, Lifehouse has finally returned to their roots in pop and rock in Who We Are. The great thing about this album is frontman and lead songwriter Jason Wade’s simultaneous return to honest lyrics which served to set him apart in No Name Face back in 2000. In fact, there’s a literal return to his lyrical roots with the album’s last song “Storm,” which was first written and recorded way back before No Name Face, when Lifehouse was called Blyss. I’m glad to see they didn’t ruin the song by attempting to ‘update’ it and simply remade it a capella.

While it’s disappointing to see how comfortable these boys are in pop glory after their promising debut with the harder-sounding No Name Face, at least they’ve finally adjusted to a sound that works for them. Thankfully, Lifehouse will continue to separate themselves from most pop drivel with their lyrics.

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2000 / 5 stars / lifehouse / reviews — No Comments
16
Oct 07

No Name Face (2000) by Lifehouse

Genre: alt rock/rock
Rating:
Check Out: “Hanging By A Moment,” “Everything,” “Simon,” “Trying,” and “Unknown”
Myspace, Purevolume

If you listened to the radio in 2001, then you know who Lifehouse is (“Hanging By A Moment” was the most played song in 2001). They’re currently a trio fronted by Jason Wade from the wilds of Los Angeles, California. Back in 2001, they were still a trio, but they included one Sergio Andrade, who helped create the band with Jason Wade.

Now, it could have been the influence of producers or the fact that most of the lyrics on this album were written by Wade when he was 16 and only recorded when he was 20 – either way, since Andrade left, Lifehouse has a much different sound. They’ve become more soulful and more pop-y, though it’s a relief to see that Wade’s lyrics are as honest as ever. But there was a time when Lifehouse’s sound was less pop and more rock, when their songs were focused around sweeping choruses rather than shambling all over the place, and when their lyrics weren’t just soulful, they were profound. This, my friends, all happened in No Name Face.

You may scoff and say that this album was just a load of radio-friendly garbage. While I admit that it was very radio-friendly, the lyrics have stood the test of time. I can listen to this album today and still relate to every single song. Heck, the fact that I can still listen to this album, even though my tastes have expanded, should be proof of its quality. As I mentioned previously, the lyrics all hail from Wade’s childhood. He grew up in a very spiritual family (yes, he’s a Christian), so when his parents divorced when he was 12, it was difficult for him to cope. It’s understandable that he reverted to music to help him through, and it’s even more understandable that these songs have a hint of that teenage angst in them. However, I think the fact that he can describe it so eloquently, as he does in “Simon,” shows a lot of maturity. My sixteen-year-old self would have never come up with that imagery.<

Most of all, I think this album really showcased Wade’s voice beautifully. The band’s later music seems a joke compared to the intensity of his soaring vocalization in “Everything” and his raw honesty in “Somewhere In Between.”

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