“If you like Creed, try Lifehouse.”
That was the message I got from a random user on Napster a few months ago who noticed that I had collected some Creed songs. As I mentioned in my review of Human Clay, Creed proclaims that they are not a “Christian band”, and yet the imagery in their songs and the band’s roots in the church have won over a great number of Christian fans. I wasn’t entirely sure if the message was from some college dropout trying to promote his garage band, some zealot trying to give Creed fans a less controversial “Christian alternative”, or some run-of-the-mill rock fan who didn’t notice much difference between the spiritual overtones of Creed and Marilyn Manson. So I didn’t pay the recommendation much mind, until later that month when I saw their album as a featured review on a Christian music website. I thought, “Wait, these guys really are a Christian band? Why have I heard nothing about them?” Well, that was soon to change.
I downloaded the band’s songs off of Napster, and though it took a few listens, I really started to like it. Like Creed, they had a strong religious undercurrent to their lyrics, and their lead singer Jason Wade had a deep baritone voice that I might have mistaken for Creed’s lead singer Scott Stapp if I hadn’t known any better. Their music was a moody brand of pop/rock radio-friendly alternative rock – a little softer than Creed, but likely to appeal to the same crowd. In fact, it was tempting to simply label Lifehouse “Creed Junior”. However, there were differences – more in the band’s personality and lifestyle than in the content of their album – and that ultimately spelled out differences in the amount of acceptance they received. Many Christians love Creed, but just as many are cautious about some of the unsettling lyrics contained in a few of their songs, as well as their lifestyles, their anger toward the church, and their insistence on not being a “Christian band”. I haven’t seen as much of the same caution about Lifehouse. These guys are still young enough to not have too much controversy under their belt, and though their album isn’t loaded with tons of Jesus references, there are plenty of Christian rock albums for which I could say the same. (It’s really a poor way to measure an album.) The only difference I can find between this CD and a lot of Christian music is that it wasn’t released on a Christian record label. The band has existed thus far completely outside of the Christian subculture, touring with bands such as Everclear and Matchbox 20. Though their publicity seems to veil their origins, the band members themselves are open about their origins in a Vineyard Church in Malibu, California, and the thoughts and events that shaped their songs. Amazingly, they’ve caught on in the Christian music world with hardly any advertising at all (that I’ve noticed) – their smash hit “Hanging by a Moment” was riding high on the Christian and mainstream rock charts simultaneously. That doesn’t happen very much, as hard as it is for good music to cross the barrier between the two worlds. But enough about the Christian subculture. Let’s talk about the music.
Hanging by a Moment: WOW. I can’t recall the last time I was so uplifted by a smash hit rock song. From its opening moments, led by a string bass and Wade’s compellingly deep voice (can you believe he wasn’t even 21 yet when this was recorded?), the song draws you in with its compellingly devoted lyrics (Desperate for changing/Starving for truth/I’m closer to where I started/When chasing after you), and then the band just rips into it at the second chorus. If you ever thought modern rock didn’t rock enough, you’d be quite pleased by this song. It’s got the right amount of melody and pure emotion mixed with alternative fuzz, complete with a sweet (if brief) guitar solo at the song’s apex. It seems to suit every mood – it’s a partying, head-banging, air-guitar-playing rocker, and at the same time, incredibly deep and emotional. Many have interpreted this to be a love song – the lead singer himself, though, has gone on record as saying that this song was written in church. That’s right, it’s a worship song. And it’s been burning up the charts. Draw what conclusions you will. I’ll be blasting this song at full volume, regardless of whether it’s Saturday night or Sunday morning.
Sick Cycle Carousel: This one starts off a little mellower (with a lone guitar, much like Creed’s “What If”), and though it’s not as energetic as “Hanging by a Moment”, it kicks in with a power all its own as Wade laments a bad habit that he can’t seem to shake. Though the idea of sin as a carousel has been done many times (especially in Christian music), it’s nice to hear these guys describe the nature of sin while leaving the final conclusions to the listener about what exactly is going on.
Unknown still has that fuzzy alternative aura to it; unfortunately it seems to slide along a bit too smoothly to make much of an impact. The chorus doesn’t soar as much as the last two songs, but the lyrics are still quite memorable (Faith makes everybody scared/It’s the unknown, the don’t know/That keeps me hanging on). I’d say that if you hadn’t caught on to who they were singing about in the first few songs, you’d get it here, but then, it could just be my Christian bias. In any case, the lyrics are great, and I just wish the music packed a little more punch to back it up.
Somebody Else’s Song: I couldn’t think of a more accurate title. This is a darker, angrier, and more confused song, though hard rock fans shouldn’t expect any shouting or screaming – Lifehouse is generally more laid back. Slated to be the album’s second rock single (it may already be out), the song seems to describe Wade’s fear of being unoriginal. Not surprisingly, the song is quite similar to something Creed or Pearl Jam might have come up with. A solid rock tune, but not my favorite on the album.
Trying: This song didn’t stand out as much to me at first, and then one day it just grabbed me. It’s a much quieter song, backed by a lovely piano and what sounds like a mandolin – the song has a subtle medieval feel to it. Right from the start, Wade once again grabs you with some intriguing lyrics (Could you let down your hair/Be transparent for a while), complemented by the pretty, circular melody. This time, it seems pretty clear that Wade’s talking to a girl or someone who isn’t God – perhaps it’s written to a lover and he just wants to know what she’s really feeling. Christian music fans should listen carefully to the female backup vocal on this one – it’s fellow Southern California artist Kendall Payne, who also knows a thing or two about being a Christian artist in the mainstream music world.
Only One: Another one of those pesky mid-tempo tunes that tries to get going but only barely succeeds. The melody and the beat just aren’t as interesting, though it does pick up a bit in the middle. The lyrics seem to struggle with uncertainty about whether a relationship is healthy, and the resolution seems a bit uneasy (I guess you’re the only one/Who will never change faces), as if Wade knows the girl will be faithful, but he isn’t sure if she’s really the right one. Then again, it could be about God and have a completely different meaning. (You may now discuss amongst yourselves.)
Simon: This definitely falls into the category of “power ballad”. It fades in on some gentle guitar chords as Wade signs to a friend or a little brother or some sort of a character who is feeling awkward and left out. From what I understand, the story is based on a real person, even if parts of the lyrics were fictionalized. Wade encourages this character: “I have felt the same”, and the song slowly builds to an intense bridge before dropping back down to a quiet finish. It’s comparable to Creed’s “With Arms Wide Open” in terms of how it builds and its tear-jerking content (though “With Arms Wide Open” is still a more powerful song in my mind), and many fans list this song as their favorite on the album.
Cling and Clatter: True to its name, this song rattles along at a medium pace, searching restlessly for meaning in the midst of a sea of meaningless voices and ideas. Once again, Wade seems to address God in the midst of the confusion, explaining that all of these voices are influencing him, and “Yours is the most likely to be misunderstood”. Christians will hear this and likely be reminded of I Corinthians 13 – the classic chapter on love heard at many weddings that explains that minus love, all of our good actions are just a bunch of noise. I’m not sure if the Biblical reference was intentional, but it’s what comes to mind, and in any case, it’s a great lyric surrounded by a song that could benefit (once again) from a little more musical energy, or even just more noise.
Breathing: This song has a folksy backdrop to it – so much that when I heard the first few notes, I could have sworn that I had accidentally downloaded Shawn Colvin’s song “Sunny Came Home”. It’s slow, but it maintains a solid beat, and the context is clear – Wade directly refers to God in this song, acknowledging his place before God as he longs for God to speak back to him. Unlike the restlessness many Christians feel while praying, Wade acknowledges that just being with God is enough for him: “I am hanging on every word you say/And even if you don’t want to speak tonight, that’s alright with me.” This song is also slated to be a future single, and even if it’s not one of my favorites, I hope it does well. It would amaze me to see such a prayerful song make waves on mainstream radio (though it has been done before).
Quasimodo: This is the last rocker on the album, once again dealing with a character who is a bit of a misfit. At this point the first few times through the album, I was a little frustrated that none of the other rockers lived up to the intensity level of “Hanging by a Moment”. However, this is still a solid song, using the metaphor of the classic Hunchback to describe this character who is constantly burdened with troubles. Some clever wordplay is used to describe this character’s resolve and determination to not let it get the best of him – “There goes the world/Off of my shoulders/There goes the world/Off of my back.”
Somewhere in Between: This is a slow, subtle ballad – it may not be the catchiest tune on the record, but once again, the story it tells is compelling. Here it seems that something significant has happened in Wade’s love life – he has met someone, or she has fallen in love with him, or he has just gotten engaged, or something. But he can’t quite understand and appreciate what has just happened – it doesn’t seem quite real. The subtle musical backdrop on this tune was probably a wise choice – between the lyrics and the nice but unobtrusive “la da da”s in the background, the song could have ended up being an overproduced nightmare.
Everything: WOW once again. This song ends the album on a very similar note to the way it began. Where “Hanging by a Moment” rocked at full intensity, this song has a very quiet, peaceful persona, but it also describes a moment of standing in awe before God (once again, these are just my interpretations). It starts with some calm guitar chords and a violin or cello (?) providing a sweet sentimental touch, as Wade starts to describe all that God is to him. The chorus is extremely memorable, and it nearly moved me to tears the first time I really sat down and listened to it: “And how can I stand here with you/And not be moved by you?/Could you tell me how could it be/Any better than this?” Of course, a song like this wouldn’t be complete without another classic build during the bridge – a final dose of intensity to finish off the CD, before returning to that awesome chorus to close the album, leaving you hanging on that final note. Listen to this song in a quiet room or out by yourself in the woods or on the beach or somewhere where no one will bug you. Just for that one moment, you may be convinced that it doesn’t get any better than this.
In a strict sense of the word, this may not be “Christian music”, in that it never mentions Jesus. It is most certainly music made by people who desire to know God. And there are many people out there who desire to know God who are not necessarily Christians. There are others who just want good, unoffensive music that walks a fine line between rocking and being sensitive. All of the above, with a little patience, should find Lifehouse to be a satisfying new band.
TRACK REVIEW SUMMARY
Excellent: Hanging by a Moment, Everything, Sick Cycle Carousel, Trying, Breathing
Good: Somebody Else's Song, Simon, Quasimodo
Decent: Unknown, Only One, Cling and Clatter, Somewhere in Between
Weak: NONE
Skippable: NONE
Band Members:
Jason Wade: Lead vocals, guitars
Stuart Mathis: Guitars
Sergio Andrade: Bass
Rick Woolstenhulme: Drums
Website: http://www.lifehousemusic.com
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