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Lifehouse
Stanley Climbfall
DreamWorks Records
Music
Head Rating: 
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Lifehouse lead
singer Jason Wade had hoped his band's new album, Stanley
Climbfall, would start to show off their influences, such as
The Beatles, Led Zepplin, and Pink Floyd. However, instead
of sounding like these seminal bands, they come off as another
group of kids reaching too far too soon, leaving listeners with a
mediocre album that sounds good for right now, but is nowhere near
as timeless as they'd like you to believe.
The album opens with their first single, "Spin," a song
Wade wrote roughly 5 years ago, but which is still so sickeningly
catchy that you'll probably find it hard to avoid on the radio.
Its upbeat sound, catchy hooks, and rising guitars sound almost as
if they were pre-packaged as Top 40-ready. Wade's Vedder-by-day
mumblings on this track and "The Sky Is Falling" balance out his
Staley-ultra-lite vocals on "Out Of Breath" and "Take Me Away."
Drummer Rick Woolstenhulme makes his presence felt, providing a
solid backbone for the moody "Wash" and the surf-friendly "Just
Another Name."
It also sounds like Wade has taken notes on lyric
writing from Rob Thomas, filtering his questions on life and other
poignant issues through lyrics that teeter on the edge of
pretentiousness but don't quite fall over. The problem here is
that Wade lacks Thomas' skill, sometimes leaving the listener lost
in a series of parts that don't all fit together.
Other songs on this album either fall flat or don't
seem to live up to the potential just brewing under the surface.
"My Precious" plods along with no clear point or direction, while
"The Beginning" continuously teases the reader with a huge climax
that never comes, leaving the song sounding neutered.
In the end Lifehouse move closer to claiming their spot
on the rock hierarchy as successors to Matchbox Twenty's brand of
adult-friendly rock. The band creates an album that you
won't hate, but you probably won't remember. It's the type
of record that you wouldn't be surprised to find in your semi-hip
aunt's CD collection. -Matthew
Little
Links: www.lifehousemusic.com
www.dreamworksrecords.com |
Tired of listening to the Deftones and Godsmack CDs, but absolutely love that metal-rock
genre? Even if you're not tired of them, but are simply ready
for a fresh sound, Lifer is the band for you. Two words
describe Lifer's self-titled debut: raw emotion. Lifer, made
up of Nick Coyle (vocals), Aaron Fink (guitarist), Chris Lightcap
(drummer), Mark Klepaski (bass), and Tony Kruszka (DJ), got their
big break two years ago, under the name Strangers With Candy, when
they won MTV's "Ultimate Cover Band" contest. After
changing their name to Lifer, in reference to all those who grow up
in small towns like their own (Wilkes-Barre, PA), get factory jobs,
and never leave, the band signed with Republic/Universal Records.
Although Nick Coyle never explains the meaning of his songs, stating
"we're not trying to change the world, they're just rock 'n'
roll songs; I don't want to give you a pompous, crazy explanation
for something that isn't there," it's obvious that the tunes
harbor deep, personal experiences. One song on the album,
"Blurred", tells the tale of Nick's father -- a man Nick
never met and has no desire to speak to, which is evident throughout
his "I don't care" lyrics. Everyone who has ever
been emotionally beaten down by those who thought they were superior
will surely relate to Lifer's heavy guitar melodies and hardy
drumbeats. One song in particular, "Not Like You," depicts
the desperation of trying to prove yourself to tormentors with
lyrics such as, "I'm no different than you; what if I was
everything you wanted for - would you still point and laugh at
me." Another song on the album, "Parade," deals
with the type of people who, no matter what, think the world loves
them ("I know you think that everyone is looking at you; you
think it's funny, but I'm stunning too"). No album would
be complete if it didn't address the relationship scene.
Lifer's first single, "Boring" ("You bore me now -
what am I supposed to think?"), demonstrates the hardships of
being in a long-term relationship. Finally,
"Perfect," the only acoustic ballad on the album, asks
that age-old question, "when everything is perfect, why is
everything so rotten?" One thing is certain, Lifer is far
from rotten. So, if you're ready, give Lifer's self-titled debut a
listen and embark on a journey into the psyche of a torn mind. -Kristal
Austin
Links: www.liferonline.com
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