By snoadmin
Lifehouse wove together a new album, “Smoke and Mirrors,” a compilation that shows fans the band they love with a new twist.
The Los Angeles-based band’s fifth full-length album, which came out on Tuesday, contains tunes reminiscent of their past albums such as the debut album, “No Name Face.” (2000) However, “Smoke and Mirrors” introduces a darker side to Lifehouse that seldom peeked out in the past.
Jason Wade stays consistent with his smooth vocals throughout the album. Ricky Woolstenhulme Jr. is brilliant on the drums, and guitarist Ben Carey and bassist Bryce Soderberg bring the catchy harmonies.
The album starts with a familiar tune in “All In,” a song that sounds similar in music and lyrics to the band’s hit “Hanging by a Moment.” “All In” captures listeners and draws them in to the rest of the album, especially with its romantic lyrics “And now I’m calling, calling out your name/Even if I lose the game, I’m all in.”
The album then jumps into an entirely unique song, “Nerve Damage,” a moody and slightly grungy tune with almost disturbing lyrics for an upbeat alternative band. Wade sings, “New circus freak with black eyes that speak/Life takes its toll, you push and it pulls/You’re losing control.”
In fact, the band frequently experiments its tempormental side in “Smoke and Mirrors.” Piano chords evoke sadness in “It Is What It Is.”
However, Lifehouse does have happier tracks. The song title, “Falling In” may evoke gloom, but Wade has a different agenda. The lyrics express the wonder of being in love: “Every time I see your face, my heart takes off on a high speed chase/Now don’t be scared; it’s only love that we’re falling in.”
The title track, “Smoke and Mirrors,” concludes with a powerful message about never giving up even when times are tough.
What makes Lifehouse talented is their ability to make songs sound bright and upbeat even with negatively-toned lyrics. In “Had Enough,” the band reverts to their classic mix of electric and acoustic guitar strums in intense octaves.
The album sends out a variety of messages that call out to listeners who are in simliar situations.
Take “Halfway Gone,” for example, the first single of the album. It combines the band’s trademark romantic lyrics with new emotions of feeling lost, all encompassed by music that sounds like the song is taking a journey to another dimension.
“Smoke and Mirrors” is a milestone for Lifehouse, a band that has made hit songs for a decade. Their previous album “Who We Are” was well received when it was released in 2007, but songs in the latest album will surely popularize soon enough.
Throughout the entire album, Lifehouse stays true to their style of music and songwriting, but also tries new things — elements that work harmoniously in “Smoke and Mirrors.”
