Aptly titled

Even with the lead singer Jason Wade’s strong vocals, Lifehouse’s new album “Smoke and Mirrors” does not measure up to the band’s past efforts.

There are a lot of songs on this album that really needed some more work. “Nerve Damage” just sounds like it is trying too hard to be relevant, like Lifehouse is worried that it is falling out of the spotlight. The album’s title track and “Wrecking Ball” also do not compare to the group’s old songs. 

But thankfully, there are a few songs here that are just as excellent as some of the band’s older songs. “All In” and “Had Enough” incorporate some of the older vocal stylings and musical riffs that have made its songs great. The first single “Halfway Gone” has reached popularity among the masses and has a lot of the same style as the older efforts.

Though most of the album sees Lifehouse trying too hard to be modern and radio-baiting, a few of its songs still hold some of the same heartfelt emotion that made people fall in love with the group in the first place.