Lifehouse
Stanley Climbfall
On Sale Now
For $13.75

Since the day after Lifehouse completed their multi-platinum debut album No Name Face, singer/ songwriter Jason Wade began penning new songs. As the band criss-crossed the states in a frenzied rock tour, Wade continued to write and record demos on the tiny tape recorder that he set up in the back of the bus.

By the time Lifehouse locked down in the studio with old friend and producer Ron Aniello and superstar mixer Brendan O'Brien, the band had thirty tracks ready to record. The best thirteen made the cut. Together (with one bonus acoustic track—"Sky is Falling,") the collection is known as Stanley Climbfall.

The album rips open with a sonic lightning bolt. "Spin," the disc's first single, revs up the cycles with a blast of distorted guitars and a shimmering vocal melody. Through the lyrics Wade chases demons and seeks meaning in his life. "My world's upside down and I wouldn't change a thing/...I lost it all when I found you and I wouldn't change a thing."

The energy remains high for much of this disc, although it does not always translate into elevated volume levels. "Anchor" chimes with neon guitar lines and unanswered questions. "Empty Space," another of the album's hot spots, juxtaposes glistening acoustic guitar rhythms with spacey guitar layers. And "Out of Breath" exhales with a smooth vocal presence that lifts and expands over the rugged chord progression.

The pressure was on for Lifehouse to duplicate the success of their multi-platinum debut. While no one knows for sure if sales of Stanley Climbfall will eclipse the band's first effort, one thing is certain — these songs hold their own power, passion and rock magic.

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