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Album: Lifehouse: s/t
Street Date: March 22, 2005
Length: 47:46
Rating: 
Reviewed by: Shelley
It's been five years since the release of Lifehouse's debut album, No Name Face. This self-titled album is the band's third studio effort. After suffering through the "sophomore slump" with their second album, Stanley Climbfall, this album seemed to be the make or break album of their career. Over the last 5 years, there has been a revolving door with the band's members. Jason Wade (singer/songwriter) and Rick Woolstenhulme (drums) are the only two original members. Bryce Soderberg joins the band as the bassist/singer.
1. Come Back Down Good track to open the album with it's typical
Lifehouse, full of melodic rock tones. The track begins with a drum
solo and if you didn't know any better, you may have thought it was
the beginning of a Coldplay tune. One of my favorite parts of the song
comes at around 3:32, when there's a nice little acoustic part that
showcases Wade's vocals. Lyrically, the song strikes a chord with
anyone who has loved and lost and hoped the love would return.
2. You and Me This is the first single and rightfully so. It's a
love song and one of my favorite things about it is that it begins and
ends the same way lyrically it comes full circle, if you will.
3. Blind - This track is one of the slower songs on the album. The
beauty of Lifehouse's songs is that they have a lot of universality.
Everyone can walk away with their own interpretation and they all
work. "Blind" does that for me.
4. All In All - On my first listen, I took notice of this song. The
chorus caught my attention it pulled me in and made me start the
song over so I could learn the words. The lyrics make me feel like
life is going to go on if you just keep truckin' on
gotta love songs
that do that for ya!
5. Better Luck Next Time - This is another "classic"
Lifehouse-sounding song. The progression of the music is symbolic of
what I remember back when I first discovered their music in 2000.
Here's another song where the chorus is quite catchy and draws you in
to listen to it more and more.
6. Days Go By If you ever needed a song to help inspire you to get
off your ass, this is it. It's all about getting out there and
experiencing life, instead of sitting around waiting for the "perfect
conditions" to arise or waiting for something to happen TO you... as an
alternative to making things happen for yourself. The song was used in
the movie soundtrack for Win A Date with Tad Hamilton previously, so
if it sounds familiar, you know why.
7. Into the Sun - This song has a slow tempo and is nice as a "chill
out" song take a listen to the lyrics and you can almost feel the
regret in Wade's vocals. It really makes you wonder who he's talking
about. The backing vocals help draw attention to the chorus. This is
also the longest song on the album.
8. Undone I fell in love with this song based on lyrics alone. Maybe
it's because I'm a 20-something and so is Wade, but I completely
identify with his words. For example: "When all your plans are made
out lying on the floor / And all your dreams are turning into nothing
more / When all your hope has left you know you're not alone /Just
hold on / Hold on." Who hasn't felt like their life wasn't where
they'd hoped it would be? It feels nice to know you're not alone.
9. We'll Never Know Yet another catchy song. Throw in a bunch of
"na-na's" at the end and you realize it's a fun song to sing along to.
It does have a story to it though and you find yourself hoping that
the couple gives love a chance to grow.
10. Walking Away - Jason Wade's vocals on this ballad help convey the sadness of the man being discussed in the song. I think more could have been done with the lyrics. "Hey, remember me / I remember you walking away" is repeated way too many times. Maybe I'm missing the dramatics of the reasoning behind that, but it's one of my least favorite songs on the album.
11. Chapter One As soon as this track starts, you know it's going to
be different than the rest of the album. The introduction of a
keyboard adds a different element to what the "Lifehouse sound" can be
and is. By far, it's the most unique sounding song on the album. "And if the world should fall apart hold
on to what you know / Take your chances turn around and go."
12. The End Has Only Begun This song was definitely the right choice
to end on. Yet another album ends with talk of beginnings... everything
that goes around, comes back around again.
All in all (pun intended), this album does not disappoint your average
Lifehouse fan. It may even restore the likeability factor with people
who were fans, but have drifted away over the past couple of years.
Upon listening, you can't help but recognize that Jason Wade is
starting to realize that life is what you make it.
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