Lifehouse Album: “Smoke & Mirrors”

There's some things I've realized over my years listening to music. Third Eye Blind will never top their debut album, neither will matchbox twenty, and the same can be said for Los Angeles Pop-Rockers Lifehouse. That being said, this latest effort comes closer than any of their prior releases have and is a tribute to the band's staying power that it is actually picking up steam ten years into its' history. This album by far has the most depth to it in comparison to previous releases "Who We Are," "Stanley Climbfall" and their 2005 self-titled effort. The album plays out as such:

1. All In- 9/10

Rhythmic verses build up nicely to an uptempo soaring chorus. This is a great way to start off the album, and is sure to be a great song to hear live.

2. Nerve Damage- 7/10

When I first heard the intro of this song, I thought I was listening to the Foo Fighters' "Pretender." This song builds up slightly, but is one of the weaker songs on the album because it really doesn't have a hook to pull you in.

3. Had Enough- 10/10

Surefire third single in my opinion. Great verses mixed with solid backing vocals build up to a very catchy chorus. This is a real toe tapper that will be another great song to hear live.

4. Halfway Gone- 8/10

After hearing all the other songs on this album, it's surprising that this was picked as the first single. The tune is catchy and uptempo enough, but it lacks the hooks of some of the other more catchy singles. Nonetheless, still a solid song that is doing great at radio right now.

5. It Is What It Is- 10/10

If possible, I'd give this song a 12. It's up there with "Broken" and "Simon" for me as one of my favorite Lifehouse songs. Different in many ways than any other Lifehouse song (a digital style beat to it similar to what you would hear in onerepublic's hit song "Apologize") and in others very similar (amazing lyrics and ridiculously catchy hooks), this is a standout that I would be completely shocked if it weren't released as a single. Relatable, catchy, emotional, Jason Wade is at his absolute best on this track. If you are thinking of downloading only one song on this album, this is the one!

6. From Where You Are- 9/10

Love this song, and at first was upset that it was taking up a spot on the new album as this track in its exact form has been available on iTunes for over a year, I'm feeling more and more that it fits in nicely and adds to the collection more than it detracts from it. A slow acoustic ballad that is filled with emotion, this track is an example of vintage Lifehouse.

7. Smoke & Mirrors- 7/10

Midtempo tune that has potential to grow on the listener. You can sense a slight country twang to this song during the verses.

8. Falling In- 9/10

An intro of just an acoustic guitar strumming and Jason Wade singing, this song builds into a solid midtempo tune with extremely catchy hooks. This is a pleasant love song that is simple and great all at once.

9. Wrecking Ball- 7/10

Don't get me wrong, I like Bryce's voice, but I don't like it as much as Jason's, so I'm still undecided on how I feel about this track, as it is Bryce's first go at handling lead vocals on a Lifehouse track. Maybe it's the song, maybe it's his voice, this song just doesn't connect as well as the others for me.

10. Here Tomorrow Gone Today- 6/10

Auto-tuned and digitized is not the world Lifehouse needs to be living in. While I give them props for trying something new, let's hope this midtempo digitized track is the last of its kind as this experiment is deemed a failure in this reviewer's opinion.

11. By Your Side- 9/10

Another solid midtempo ballad with beautiful lyrics and solid backing vocals.

12. In Your Skin- 8/10

Uptempo rock tune with rhythmic drum beats and catchy verses,

The Next 4 Tracks are on the Deluxe version only, but they are definitely worth upgrading.

13. All That I'm Asking For- 9/10

Should have replaced "Here Tomorrow Gone Today" on the main album on my album, this track is a must have for any Lifehouse fan. Beautiful midtempo ballad that is arranged perfectly with amazing background vocals and heartfelt lyrics.

14. Crash & Burn- 8/10

Another catchy midtempo number.

15. Everything (Live In Studio)- 8/10

Similar to the reproduced version of "Storm" off their last album, this isn't nearly as good as the original, but it is nice to know that Lifehouse hasn't forgotten about their fans' affinity for this amazing song.

16. Near Life Experience- 7/10

This song has a rather folksy, Bob Dylan type vibe to it. If you like that kind of music, you will enjoy this song, as it keeps a slow tempo and Jason Wade sings in a very Dylan-esque manner throughout the verses.

For those keeping track, that is 7 songs with a 9 rating or higher, something that definitely has not been the case for prior Lifehouse releases (check out my prior Lifehouse reviews if you want further proof). There are some misses, but they are more than made up for by the wide range of top tier tunes scattered throughout "Smoke & Mirrors." The future is bright for Lifehouse, and this album is sure to be spinning away at radio for years to come.

As a fan from the beginning, I've been looking forward to this new Lifehouse album for a while and was dismayed with the release date getting pushed back a number of times. But now that it's finally here, it was totally worth the wait. True, it's not their absolute best work to date, but they did pull out a few new musical tricks that I thought were really interesting, while not straying too far from the "typical Lifehouse sound" we all know and love.

First of all, you may notice guitarist Bryce Soderberg's vocals are much more prominently featured here than on the last couple albums; the song "Wrecking Ball" is sung entirely by him and is what I would call "just okay." I also understand that some fans are turned off by the auto-tuning on the track "Here Tomorrow, Gone Today," but it's used sparingly and fits in with the vibe of the song and works really well. In fact I'd say this, for me, is the true highlight of the album. Lead vocalist Jason Wade and Bryce alternate verses and it really is the catchiest, most upbeat song on the CD. By no means would I classify it as "techno" or "dance," so don't let the exaggerated reports dissuade you from giving it a listen even if is a little more pop-oriented. And what's a Lifehouse record without a really good ballad? In this case I'd guess "It Is What It Is" will eventually be a single which will deservedly rank up there with the likes of "You and Me" and "Breathing," as another reviewer said. Otherwise the album generally maintains a mid-tempo beat with a feast of drums of guitars, which is nice but consequently there's not much in the way of real big "rockers" to be found here.

My one complaint, though a minor one, is that the album takes a while to pick up steam and really catch your attention. I suppose every record is entitled to at least three or four songs that you would call filler, but in this case they put them all in a row at the start and it doesn't give the best impression right off the bat. But by the time you get to "Halfway Gone," the popular radio anthem, the rest of the album is just amazing. I also think the addition of musician Ben Carey (who used to tour with Savage Garden) added a little extra "oomph" and polished the band's previously raw sound just a bit. So yes, I would very much recommend this album, because even though a small part of it comes off as half-hearted and forgettable, what it gets right is awesome.

So I picked this up release day and have spent an entire week with it in my car and at work. I am and have been a Lifehouse fan since "Hanging By A Moment" was on the radio my Senior Year of High School (yes I'm now officially "old"). When "No Name Face" dropped I found my way out of the emo phase I was in and essentially grew up to the true Rock genre.

That album to me was pretty much flawless. Every track worked and still remains a constant in my music rotation (though I use an MP3 player now instead of my old Sony Discman). "Stanley Climbfall" was good but lacked that something cohesive and special that made NNF so good. It had heart, but it didn't have a soul. I enjoyed it for what it was but honestly I hardly listen to it. A few tracks every once in a while, but hardly the whole way through. The self title album was a more mature Lifehouse. "Who We Were" took that maturity and made the tracks radio ready. It lacked flow, but the writing was pretty deep and satisfying.

This leads me to "Smoke & Mirrors". Wow. This album literally had me from Track 1. "All In" revived what had been missing since NNF. It had a spark and that something extra that made Lifehouse stand out from the pack to begin with. While nothing will be "Hanging By A Moment" this is pretty close. That is pretty much my opinion of the entire album really. The songs go side by side with NNF for the most part, though "Here Tomorrow, Gone Today" is a weird one that is entirely new.

"Halfway Gone" surprises me by being thier firt single. It's a solid hit obviously but with other great songs on this album I think they picked one of the weakest tracks. "Nerve Damage", "Had Enough", or even the aforementioned "All In" would have been better choices for something different. I feel they went a little safe.

Anyway, the album gets 4 1/2 stars but I can't select that so it is getting 5 on the ratings above. It is a great listen all the way through. It flows great, with nice transitions from each topic (no going from "Broken" to the "The Joke" here). The album actually rocks more than their previous efforts and honestly, I'm ok with that. It makes for a better overall listen.

While nothing will ever trump "No Name Face" due to the history I have with it, "Smoke & Mirrors" comes close enough that I fell this is finally the worthy follow-up that NNF deserved. Lifehouse has definitely matured (as have I apparently) but they still know how to make a great album. Well done.

As always, these guys deliver a truely awesome album. From their first Album, 'No Name Face', right on up til today, Jason has once again outdid himself with some of the best lrycis ever written. You can always count on Lifehouse for music that makes you stop and listen. Music you can really enjoy. Roguexxx

I'm a BIG Lifehouse fan, and I can't say how excited I was about this album. So it pains me to admit that I'm honestly pretty disappointed in Smoke and Mirrors. This is the first time I've bought a Lifehouse album, and not had it live in my car stereo and on my music player for weeks...instead I took it out in frustration after only a couple listens.

Granted, I should listen to it longer, allow it to perhaps "grow on me," however, I know it will never satisfy my ears like No Name Face, Stanley Climbfall, and songs such as Broken and Storm off of Who We Are. The new album, to me, lacks their signature depth and the tracks no longer seem unique but more "common" in a way. Something, even something small, but important, that is distinctly LIFEHOUSE is missing from this album for me.

Don't get me wrong..this album is not BAD, and after a few more listens, I'm sure some of the songs will grow on me, and I will find them catchy...but this is not the Lifehouse I've grown to love. I'd honestly rather pull one of the older albums out and listen to those again.

The shortest way I can say it is that I'm disappointed in Smoke and Mirrors. Even though I don't want to be.