Lifehouse - Out Of The Wasteland
- Written by Zoe Wallbank
Multi-platform band Lifehouse are back with their highly anticipated album Out Of The Wasteland, the entire album has a positive and uplifting message, with beautiful lyrics that effortlessly cross and mix genres.
The opening track, ‘Hurricane’, has a slower, acoustic introduction, which leads into a heavier, but catchy rock beat. This along with lyrics such as “I still believe it just gets better” portrays the message of the album, making this a perfect opening track.
Similarly, the closing track, ‘Hourglass’, is the slowest track on the album with beautiful piano music bringing the album to a peaceful and rounded close. Many albums can feel as though artists just pick whatever songs were best and threw them together. However, Out Of The Wasteland truly feels complete, that by the end of the album, it has finished, not just stopped.
Lifehouse live up to their reputation of moving and heartfelt lyrics, particularly in slower songs. These include ‘Flight’ which contains lyrics such as “I can’t carry the weight and of the world” and “No more hurting / No more fighting”, which show a real story and development in the track. And ‘Alien’, a song with a touching metaphor about feeling out of place or not comfortable with yourself, again shows development to a better place (a theme throughout the album) and has the lyric “I close my eyes and I am home” bringing the song to an end.
Another track that showcases this positivity and strength well is ‘Runaways’, which embodies the message of the album perfectly with lyrics such as “We are innocent and brave / As free as a couple of runaways” coupled with an upbeat melody. These create a song that is made to be blasted or have the lyrics screamed out.
Despite Lifehouse being alt-rockers they add a hint of country/folk in this album with tracks ‘One For The Pain’ and ‘Hurt This Way’, which brings something new to the album, and it’s an interesting twist without being out of place. In addition track seven ‘Stardust’ is a much faster paced song, with quicker lyrics, an unexpected change but one that works well, although not as well as the country/folk tracks.
Overall, this album is everything expected from Lifehouse and more, it’s got beautiful lyrics, good melodies and flows well. Jason Wade has been quoted as saying that for this album they wanted to “find that innocence, that feeling of being 17-year-old kids who get excited about playing music in a garage” and they have. They have recaptured the excitement of music when it’s new and more fun than business, whilst still putting all that they have learnt over the years in this industry to good use. A brilliant album that will not disappoint.