No Name Face

1	Hanging By A Moment 3:36
2	Sick Cycle Carousel 4:23
3	Unknown 4:06
4	Somebody Else's Song 4:36
5	Trying 3:52
6	Only One 4:56
7	Simon 6:01
8	Cling And Clatter 4:29
9	Breathing 4:25
10	Quasimodo 4:32
11	Somewhere In Between 4:14
12	Everything 6:07

Barnes & Noble

Rock bands often hate being categorized, let alone compared to their favorite acts. But there's nothing wrong with young bands taking cues from their current heroes so long as those inspirations aren't painstakingly absorbed note-by-note. Case in point, Los Angeles outfit Lifehouse. On their debut album No Name Face, the band play spiky, alterna-pop that draws from Pearl Jam (vocalist Jason Wade does a convincing Eddie Vedder), Live, and Vertical Horizon. But the way Lifehouse combine familiar sounds is refreshing and, more importantly, as infectious as a winter cold. The slithery guitar licks on songs such as "Sick Cycle Carousel" and the pleasant vocal harmonies of tracks such as "Unknown" make the band's music stand out, and their undeniable hooks can cause temporary amnesia in even the harshest critics. All Lifehouse need is a striking video and they might forge an image that rivals -- or even surpasses -- their mentors. Jon Wiederhorn

All Music Guide

No Name Face, the debut release by Los Angeles-based Lifehouse, certainly proves the theory that less is more. The moody album contains pensive lyrics, soulfully sung by Jason Wade, which are supported by organic electric guitar arrangements. The simplified, but by no means simple, music aptly supports Wade's sonorous voice, which can be compared to Eddie Vedder, Scott Stapp of Creed, and Scott Weiland. At age 20, Wade, who takes songwriting credit, is a lyrical wunderkind, writing words generally reserved for his older counterparts. The album's theme is one of searching -- spiritually, personally, and emotionally -- and this is particularly in evidence on the tracks "Unknown," "Trying," and "Only One." Lifehouse makes a refreshing departure from other post-grunge, youth-oriented bands, who, for example, sing of one-night-stands, big butts, and the ills of society. Here, Wade revels in humanity, exploring and questioning its every nook and cranny. No Name Face benefits from the seasoned ears of Brendan O'Brien (Pearl Jam, U2, Stone Temple Pilots), who mixed the album, and producer Ron Aniello. Both brought Wade's vocals and lyrics to the forefront of the mix and, rather than overshadowing them with complex and overbearing instrumentation, kept the music appropriately in the background. It's an intelligent musical formula sorely missed in much music of the early 21st century, particularly in this type of music where songs are sometimes nothing more than a cacophony of screaming and effects-laden instrumentation. It really is a bit of a surprise to see such musical maturity hailing from such a young (in age and tenure) band. No Name Face should fit right in on rock radio. Liana Jonas