No Name Face

by

Lifehouse

Edit

I first heard these guys during an episode of Roswell, during which the song 'Everything' played in the final scene. I remembered seeing the cover of the CD in a record store and went out the next day and bought it.

Unlike most of the people writing reviews here, I had never heard 'Hanging By a Moment' when I bought the album. As you can tell by the five stars, I am incredibly glad I did.

I can't imagine anyone NOT liking this album - honestly, it is a collection of 12 incredibly good songs. In trying to choose my favorites, I find it nearly impossible to mention one or two and slight the others.

Hanging is a great radio track, but, in my opinion, one of the weaker tracks on the disc. Track 2, Sick Cycle Carroussel, is really an amazing song -- the kind that will never be released but is the reason you love an album. The same can be said for The Unknown, track 3, which is wonderful (but one of my least favorites). The quality picks up as we reach track 4- Somebody Else's Song, a good pick for the second song released. It would put similar-sounding track by Creed or Bush to shame. Trying is the fifth song, the softest song on the album and just incredible if you're in the right mood for it. If you like to feel 'moved' by a song, Trying is the one to do it. Only One is the sixth song - another great rock song. Midtempo, and, like all these songs, fully fleshed out. You never feel that the potential of the song was unrealized. They wring everything possible out of each melody.

In the second half of the album, the quality continues. Simon, track 7, is in the same category as Sick Cycle - one of the album's best, but not the kind you'd hear on the radio. I absolutely love this song. Song 8 is a bit harder sounding - if you like Hanging, you should love this song. Song 9, Breathing, is probably the best single song on the album. It fits right in that category between 'great album song' and 'great radio song.' The lyrics are tremendous. Song 10, Quasimodo, has an apt title and it is another 'hard' song - like Hanging. Song 11 I usually forget, Somewhere in Between, and it's an appropriate title. It's between 2 great songs, and is easy to forget, but judged on its own, it is really great. Sadly, it has to be right before Everything, the best last song I have ever heard on an album. It is exactly the way you want to end an album, and the album would be worth the price just for that song.

Fortunately, you get all these other incredible songs at the same time. I can't say enough how great this album is. My musical tastes run the gamut, but I typically like the pop/rock Matchbox 20/Counting Crows/U2/etc. but any type of labeling would miss the point. Anyone with any serious love of music will love this album. I don't recommend it to people that will listen through an album one time and then just play their favorite tracks -- it takes a few listens to become hooked on the album. But once you love the album - it's just a great feeling. I've never written a review for amazon before, but i really felt compelled to by this album. Every person that loves music should own it.

This is a pretty solid debut album from the boys of Lifehouse. The lead singer Jason Wade sings with strong conviction and emotion. The songs have meaning and they make you think. The downside of this album though is that some of the songs have a tendency to sound alike. The best songs on the album are Hanging By A Moment, Only One, Simon, Breathing, Quasimodo, Somewhere In Between, and Everything. Another down point is that the band never really "rock" out. This isn't the worst down point but if your looking for a rock and roll experience look elsewhere. This album sounds more like rock lullabies. Still, though, this album is better than most albums put out today. The band wrote all the songs and played their own instruments unlike most marketed "artists" out today.