Customer Reviews

Who We Are

5 star:		(72)
4 star:		(19)
3 star:		(7)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Lifehouse is a quality band, perhaps underrated by those who view them only as another mainstream rock act because of their two massive hits this decade. Unsurprisingly, their debut, "No Name Face," remains their strongest effort to date. Their next two records were solid and did not disappoint, but they did not wow anybody either. This album, "Who We Are," is a step up from the last two, but still does not approach their debut.

"Disarray" gets the music off to a rocking start the way "Spin" did for "Stanley Climbfall." It's a good sign when the first single, "First Time," is not the best song on the album even though it is already a hit. Again, this song is more rock-oriented, a contrast to their softer self-titled album.

"Whatever It Takes," would be a decent choice as a third single. Lifehouse has a knack for sounding fresh without necessarily breaking down any musical barriers. None of their songs sound like a rehash of previous works, which is a feat for a band this successful. This track, as well as several others, proves that Jason Wade is one of the better songwriters in music today.

The title track is a great song with a driving force behind it. The next song, "Broken," is the best song on the album and likely to be a huge hit both on mainstream and Christian music radio stations. An emotional, powerful ballad written about one of Wade's friends, this song is an example of how Wade's lyrics can appeal to both the spiritual and secular crowd.

"The Joke" is upbeat and different, likely to be hit or miss with fans. The second half of the album is filled with tracks that are good but do not match up to the first few songs. The exception is the sublime "Storm," an official version of the song Jason Wade wrote early in his songwriting career. Wade's deep vocals are strong enough to carry the first minute of this song without any instrumental accompaniment, and the rest of this song finishes the album on a strong note.

Its amazing how Lifehouse keeps coming out with songs that just seem to hit me right where they need to. I felt something with each and every song on Who We Are. The only song i didnt really enjoy was The Joke and maybe. If i give that a few more listens i will start to enjoy that a bit more.

I cant even pick a song out of here that is my favorite because i enjoy them all particularily:

Who We Are
First Time
Storm
Disarray

I could list the whole album tracklist, but you get the picture. Mr. Wade has a way with not only bringing the songs to life but singing them in such a way that. You cant help feel a part of them and the band as a whole seem to be clicking on all cylinders in every other aspect on this cd. I love me some Lifehouse and as long as they keep bringing out new music. I will be there in line buying it on day one.

I loved "Who We Are" from the first note of the first song the "First Time"

Reeling from the huge success of their multi-format hit "You And Me," Lifehouse is back to prove that they are in fact a rock group that can turn up the volume whenever they choose with a good deal of success. With "Hanging By A Moment," released in 2000 and popularized in 2001 as the most played song on radio for the year, Lifehouse began on alternative formats and spread their wings from there. Since then, the band has stuck to more Mainstream Pop and Adult Contemporary formats, with popular songs like "Spin" and "Take Me Away" from their sophomore effort Stanley Climbfall. With their third release, self-titled, Lifehouse added bassist Bryce Soderberg and came up with yet another huge hit, "You And Me," leaving no doubt that these boys could never be considered one hit wonders. With Who We Are, Lifehouse goes back to a mixture of uptempo rockers and the usual ballads. The result is a solid album with many hits and very few misses.

The first single "First Time" has been doing well on radio and is poised to be a summer smash. This uptempo rock song is extremely catchy and will have you tapping your feet to it in no time as it builds up to the searing chorus.

The sure fire next single is the ballad "Broken." This song, unbelievably well written, came out of a trip Wade took to Nashville to visit a dear friend waiting on a kidney transplant, but it can be related to many different situations because of Wade's universal lyrics. The emotional grip of this song is deep, and in my opinion, this song alone is enough of a reason to buy the album.

Another hidden gem for the Lifehouse faithful is the last song "Storm." Available only previously on a limited release entitled "Diff's Lucky Day" (an album by the same band members when they were known as Blyss, which sold on Ebay for hundreds of dollars when the band first hit it big with "Hanging By A Moment"). This fan favorite at concerts is a beautiful song and a great way to close out the album.

Overall, this is another solid effort from a band which will be around for many years to come. If you liked any of their previous albums, this is a definite must have, and if you're just getting into Lifehouse through this album, I would definitely pick up their past efforts as well.

Once again Lifehouse's great sound is defined in their 4th album. This new album addresses their maturity as a band, and connects the dots from their past to the present.

1. Disarray-This song definitely opens the album in a great rockin' intro.
2. First Time-The single for this album; greatly put together and makes for some good on-the-go music.
3. Whatever it Takes-This is one of my favorites on the album. This song contains an emotional breakdown of rock and soul.
4. Who We Are-Nicely written lyrics, kind of a filler-song for the album.
5. Broken-This would make a good ending for a sad movie. Lyrics are great!
6. The Joke-If you had fallen asleep to the rest of the album, this song will wake you up. Jason tests the waters of his vocals, wakes the audience
7. Easier To Be-This is another one of my favorite songs. It will bring you back to your childhood with the lyrics, and draw tears with the music.
8. Make Me Over-This song sets the mood for the rest of the album. There's a hint of sadness and melancholy to it, but another one of my favorites.
9. Mesmerized-One of the more sappier songs, but emotionally appealing.
10. Bridges-This upbeat performance is one of the last harder songs on the album.
11. Learn You Inside Out-The lyrics to this song are powerful, and anyone can take it and use it as they like. Great song!
12. One of Jason's rare solo efforts come alive in "Storm." A remake from "Diff's Lucky Day", this song is powerful, and finishes the album in awe.

"Who We Are" moves in a different direction for Lifehouse. The band is changing, and Jason Wade is becoming more spiritually connected to his music. Definitely worth every cent!

Like their previous 3 cd's, Who We Are by Lifehouse is a great pop/rock cd! I don't think it will disappoint new or old fans.

In my opinion, this cd is one of their best, probably my favorite next to their first- No Name Face. The melodies and lyrics of their music are unbeatable, you can't get them out of your head (in a good way!). And when they sing a meloncholy song, it's absolutely magic. However, specifically this cd has more upbeat songs, compared to the others. If you like "First Time", I think you'll like the rest of the cd. Some of my favorites (other than First Time) are: Disarray, Whatever It Takes, Who We Are, Broken, Easier to Be, Make Me Over, Mesmerized...actually, it's very hard to pick just a few!

I saw Lifehouse in concert with the Goo Goo Dolls and just loved them live, nearly as much as I did the first time I saw them in 2001. I've been a huge fan for years and always recommend them to friends.

Let me start by saing that I own and love all 3 of Lifehouse's previous albums. They make one solid album after another, although I think "No Name Face" will always remain my favorite. "Who We Are" seems to lean more towards Lifehouse's upbeat side, with not as many as the really slow and beautiful songs (which are usually my favorite ones). As a result, this is probably my least favorite album from them so far, but it's grown on me more every day. The first song, "Dissaray" is a upbeat tune similar to "Spin." I equally enjoyed the following song, "First Time." I think the album's title track (Who We Are) is one of my favorites, with a chorus that just won't get out of your head. "Broken" is one of the very few slow songs on here, and it's a very good one, making it likely to be the next single. "The Joke" is probably one of the worst songs I've ever heard from Lifehouse. I know that sounds harsh, but seeing as how I've never heard a bad song from them, that still leaves the song being ok. I just didn't care for Jason's wailing, especially after such a mellow track. "Make Me Over" is a very nice song, it has a great chorus and I think it could also be a good single. "Learn You Inside Out" sounds different for the band, using a very meloncholy piano and some unique singing from Jason. This is also one of my favorites from the album. The album closes with "Storm", and for the first minute or so, it's just Jason singing. It sounds excellent, and the music comes in very tastfully. Lifehouse is one of those bands that doesn't require a lot of change, and if you like the albums they've put out in the past, I can't see why you wouldn't like this one as well. They stick to what they're good at, but also bring in the occasional surprise.

Jason Wade and the guys are back in top form. This is probably their best release since "No Name Face" back in 2000---and, in many ways, this surpasses it since it shows off a more mature band that definitely knows "Who We Are".

There are several specific tracks that make this album stand out on the same level as NNF in my mind:

Whatever It Takes (track #3) - Personally, I think this should have been the first single. Not that "First Time" is bad or anything, but this song has so much going for it. This was the first "A+" in my mind and I knew this album was going to be special.

Broken (track #5) - If I was to pick one lyrical standout on this album, this song would win. One of Jason's best lyrical accomplishments.

Easier To Be (track #7) - My favorite new song. There is so much to love about this song. Catchy melody, beautiful lyrics. It's a great love song without being corny.

Storm (track #12) - My favorite song from "Diff's Lucky Day", re-recorded here with Jason's amazing vocals...if you don't feel something when you hear this song, something is definitely wrong with you. If you've never heard this song from the old release or live, you're in for quite a treat.

ALL Lifehouse fans should give this record a listen---even if you felt like "Stanley Climbfall" and the self-titled release were sub-par---this is a breath of fresh air. I really enjoyed listening to it. If you've never heard of Lifehouse before, pick up this disk along with "No Name Face" and you'll be hooked.

I have been listening to this CD non stop for the last 2 weeks and never skip a song. This one has so many upbeat rock songs and some amazingly beautiful ballads as well. "Whatever it Takes" will surpass You & Me when it hits radio, I guarantee it. Jason sings that one with such emotion. His vocals throughout Who We Are are nothing short of amazing.

I've read some comments on track #6, The Joke. This is probably one of Wade's most brilliant works. It is about the true story of a 13 year old boy in the UK who committed suicide because he was being bullied. Wade has said he tried several different types of music for this track, but when they put it with the uptempo, pop music, that really worked. The lyrics are very dark, but the song is very catchy. Brilliant, in my opinion.

I saw them perform several of these songs live last week, and Broken, by far is the most meaningful song to Jason Wade. This song performed live will mesmerize you and break your heart. This song is written about a friend of his from his teen years who is dying and needs a kidney transplant. Wade says he wrote this song in 10 minutes with tears streaming down his face after spending the day with his friend. Lyrically, it's one of his best works and very moving.

Who We Are is brilliant. I can't recommend it enough!

Most of the reviews I've read are from devout Lifehouse fans making a comparison of this CD to previous releases. Well, if you know nothing about Lifehouse and want the lowdown on THIS CD, then here it is...

Until this latest CD "Who We Are", I would have said that Lifehouse is a very unique band with a very distinct sound that may or may not appeal to the public at large. Sure they had some commercial success with a couple of brilliant songs, but I truly believe that their MASS music was hit or miss with the general "commercial/rock/pop" crowd. Today, with this new CD, my perspective has definately changed. At the very least, I can confidently say that most of the songs on this CD are HIGHLY listenable and will be greatly enjoyed by anyone who likes Adult Contemporary/Alternative rock music. If that sounds like you, and you know nothing about Lifehouse, I honestly think that this is the CD you should buy. You will hear many people talk about their best CD (No Name Face), which I also believe is still their best work to date, but I also think it appeals to a more "tailored" ear. Whereas this CD has more hooks than captain hook himself. If you're looking for something fresh, enjoyable and inspiring, this is it - highly recommended!

after discovering "No Name Face" in 2001 I just fell in love with their music...and when they came out with "Stanley Climbfall" I bought it right away as I waited for another album like a child waits for Christmas... when I put the CD in and listened to the first tunes it brought a huge smile on my face.. The same happened with "Lifehouse"... I do not share the feeling that people always expect "different" things from groups... I like things I can depend on and Lifehouse's sound is a for sure thing... When I got "who we are" today and put it in the car cd player on my way home the familiar huge smile came back to my face. And I like it like that!!! When I buy second and third CD's from numerous groups it mostly takes some "getting used to" the new CD and I have to listen to it a couple times... What I like most about this new CD is that overall it is a little bit more "rockier" then the previous ones. Disarray, First Time, Who we are, The Joke and Bridges are more upbeat and listening to them just makes me want to sing along and be happy that they got a new album out! What really swept me off my feet was Storm... I always really liked the song and the lyrics but the new arrangements were Jason is just singing, with very tuned down background music, are absolutely amazing. It takes a GREAT voice to record a song without music (well almost no music). His voice is so amazing and on this song it really comes out!
So all in all this album is another great success! If you like any of the Lifehouse albums this one here is a must...and if you haven't heard of Lifehouse... you better get on it... with which one you want to start is up to you they are all great!