Sometimes in life you experience overwhelming emotional darkness. As a believer in Jesus Christ the son of the living and sovereign God I may remember to cling to this knowledge of Him. Other times I get lost in my circumstances and my heart feels like it is in black days. In the middle 90’s the grunge rock band Soundgarden came out with a song called “Fell On Black Days” the first verse of the song is:
Whatsoever I’ve feared has come to life
Whatsoever I’ve fought off became my life
Just when everyday seemed to greet me with a smile
Sunspots have faded
And now I’m doing time
Cause I fell on black days
The song lyrics are depressing and do not provide even a glimmer of hope. But they sound very personal and have much in common with the human heart in times of despondency. Hence the popularity of the song when it came out.
When I think of Lifehouse I think of rainy days or snowy days. I could sit for hours gazing out the window watching it rain listening to Lifehouse. Lifehouse is singer and vocalist Jason Wade, bassist and singer Bryce Soderberg, and drummer Rick Woolstenhulme. They are just a trio but a trio with a powerful and beautiful sound.
The bands’ newest release (June 19th, 2007) “Who We Are” is more of a summertime album in that it is more upbeat than their previous three. Lifehouse has a penchant for writing songs that reflect where people are in life. This latest is no exception. “Who Were Are” begins with the song “Disarray” which is a very energetic song as the title may suggest. It expresses how we struggle through living each day and trying to make sense out of it. I love the lyrics here “Everyone around me is trying to make a statement, then there’s me, I’m just trying to survive”. The next song “First Time” is more upbeat musically and lyrically as it talks about opening yourself up to someone else emotionally for the first time. “Whatever It Takes” and “Who We Are” are typical Lifehouse staples about relationships and the struggles therein. “Broken” brings to light the writers’ relationship with God as he acknowledges his brokenness and dependence on Him.
The album highlights are hard to determine because there are so many but I will try to share my favorites. “Easier To Be” a definite summer song, “Disarray”, “First Time” not because it is getting airplay already but it prompts the mind to remember the first time you really opened up to someone, “Broken”, “Learn You Inside Out” a moving love song, and “Storm” by far my favorite song. “Storm” acknowledges the ebb and flow of personal faith in God. I love the lyrics that acknowledge the sovereignty of God, “I know you didn’t bring me out here to drown, so why am I ten feet under and upside down?” Knowing that God will bring us through the storms is one thing but understanding that God put you there is quite another.
Again, each Lifehouse album gets better and better the more you listen to it. Even though the first Lifehouse album “No Name Face” with “Hanging By A Moment”, and “Sick Cycle Carousel” is by far one of my favorite albums period, this new one will be right up there with it. Sometimes the lyrics hit you from the start and at other times they hit you after you have had similar experiences. They hit you where you live. I give the album 4 and 1/2 out of 5 stars.
Check out the video from the first single “First Time”.
days. I could sit for hours gazing out the window watching it rain listening to Lifehouse. Lifehouse is singer and vocalist Jason Wade, bassist and singer Bryce Soderberg, and drummer Rick Woolstenhulme. They are just a trio but a trio with a powerful and beautiful sound.
Upon This Rawk 