Album Review: Lifehouse - Out Of The Wasteland

Largely operating between sensitive-guy acoustic guitar woe-fests and stadium-sized pop rock melodies – drenched in the melodies of gravelly frontman Jason Wade – Lifehouse’s seventh record explores some unexpected sonic territory.

Opener, Hurricane is par for the course, big and melodic, though amidst the mid-tempo ballads there are some country rhythms and some exquisite string arrangements (most notably slow-burn closer, Hourglass) courtesy Hollywood film composer James Newton Howard (ex-Elton John). Fans will appreciate. Everyone else will likely maintain their blissful ignorance that that Hanging By A Moment band is still in the game.