Smoke & Mirrors (Lifehouse album)

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Smoke & Mirrors
Lifehouse smoke and mirrors.png
Studio album by Lifehouse
Released March 2, 2010 (2010-03-02)
Recorded 2008–2009
Genre Alternative rock, power pop, post-grunge
Length 45:00
Label Geffen
Producer Jude Cole, Lifehouse, Kevin Rudolf, Florian Ammon
Lifehouse chronology
Who We Are
(2007)Who We Are2007		 Smoke & Mirrors
(2010)		 Almería
(2012)Almería2012
Singles from Smoke & Mirrors
  1. "Halfway Gone"
    Released: October 27, 2009
  2. "All In"
    Released: May 18, 2010
  3. "Falling In"
    Released: February 28, 2011

Smoke & Mirrors is the fifth studio album by American alternative rock band Lifehouse. It was released on March 2, 2010 by Geffen Records. Lifehouse began to work on the album with record producer Jude Cole in the fall of 2008 at Cole's Ironworks Studio. The band collaborated with American singer-songwriter Kevin Rudolf and Chris Daughtry of the band Daughtry while working on the album.

The album received mixed reviews from critics, and peaked at number six on the Billboard 200, selling 54,000 copies in its first week. It became the fourth highest debut album on the chart for the week of March 20, 2010. It also debuted at number 15 on the Canadian Albums Chart, which became its peak on the chart.

The album's lead single, "Halfway Gone", was released October 26, 2009, charting on several Billboard charts including Billboard's Hot 100, Adult Contemporary, Digital Songs, Hot Dance Club Songs, Pop Songs, and Radio Songs charts.

Background

Lifehouse began working on the album with record producer Jude Cole in the fall of 2008, after the band had come off of the tour that supported their fourth studio album, Who We Are. The band worked on Smoke & Mirrors for over a year, recording thirty-five tracks, before settling on the twelve tracks that appear on the album.[1] During this time, the band collaborated with American singer-songwriter Kevin Rudolf on the album's lead single, "Halfway Gone" and with Daughtry's lead singer Chris Daughtry on the song "Had Enough".[2] In an interview with Billboard, Rudolf said, "I chose [to do] 'Halfway Gone' because Jason Wade is such a great writer, great singer, and great artist."[3]

In an interview with They Will Rock You, when asked about recording the song "Smoke & Mirrors", lead Lifehouse percussionist Rick Woolstenhulme, Jr. said:

"The very first track that we recorded for the album is the track called Smoke & Mirrors which ended up being the name of the album. That song is very Americana and almost Petty-esque in a way. For that song we literally came from the road and headed right into the studio and that was the first song that was brought to the table. It was cut in two or three takes."[4]

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source Rating
Allmusic 2.5/5 stars[5]
Alternative Addiction 4.5/5 stars[6]
Jesus Freak Hideout 3.5/5 stars[7]
Melodic.net 4/5 stars[8]
3/5 stars (Deluxe)[9]
Sputnikmusic 3/5 stars[10]
The Tune 3/5 stars[11]

Smoke & Mirrors received mixed reviews from critics. Stephen Thomas Erlewine of Allmusic gave a mixed review of the album, calling it ingratiating, but also commented on how the album would "never [form] anything amounting to any identity."[5]

Chart performance

In the United States, the album debuted at number six on the Billboard 200, which became its peak on the chart.[12] It sold 54,000 copies in its first week, and became Lifehouse's fourth studio album to chart in the top ten.[13] The album remained on the chart for 20 consecutive weeks.[14]

Track listing

No. Title Writer(s) Producer(s) Length
1. "All In"   Jason Wade, Jude Cole Jude Cole, Lifehouse 3:54
2. "Nerve Damage"   Wade, Cole Cole, Lifehouse 4:27
3. "Had Enough" (feat. Chris Daughtry) Wade, Daughtry, Richard Marx Cole, Lifehouse 3:45
4. "Halfway Gone"   Wade, Cole, Kevin Rudolf, Jacob Kasher Cole, Lifehouse 3:14
5. "It Is What It Is"   Wade, Cole Cole, Lifehouse 3:20
6. "From Where You Are"   Wade Cole, Lifehouse 3:01
7. "Smoke & Mirrors"   Wade, Cole Cole, Lifehouse 4:25
8. "Falling In"   Wade, Cole, Rudolf, Kasher Cole, Rudolf 3:44
9. "Wrecking Ball"   Wade, Cole, Bryce Soderberg, Ricky Woolstenhulme, Jr. Cole, Lifehouse 4:24
10. "Here Tomorrow Gone Today"   Wade, Cole Cole, Florian Ammon 3:09
11. "By Your Side"   Wade, Cole Cole, Lifehouse 4:08
12. "In Your Skin"   Wade, Cole Cole, Lifehouse 3:24
Deluxe edition[15][16]
No. Title Writer(s) Producer(s) Length
13. "All That I'm Asking For"   Wade, Cole Cole, Patrick Leonard 3:55
14. "Crash and Burn"   Wade Cole, Lifehouse 4:15
15. "Everything" (live in-studio version) Wade Cole, Lifehouse 6:26
16. "Near Life Experience"   Wade Cole, Lifehouse 4:11
17. "Don't Wake Me When It's Over" (iTunes exclusive) Wade, Cole Cole, Lifehouse 3:26
18. "Best of Me (What's Left of Me)" (Amazon exclusive) Wade, Cole, Marx   3:05
19. "Halfway Gone" (Demolition Crew remix)     3:35

Personnel

Lifehouse
Additional musicians
  • Chris Daughtry — backing vocals on "Had Enough"
  • Mitch Lerner — piano on "All In", "Nerve Damage", "It Is What It Is" and "In Your Skin"
  • Chris Murguia — guitars, hammond organ on "Nerve Damage" and "Smoke & Mirrors", piano on "It Is What It Is", background vocals on "Here Tomorrow Gone Today"
  • Jude Cole — guitars, background vocals, synth, keyboard on "Had Enough", bass on "From Where You Are"
  • Patrick Leonard — piano, synth, and synth bass, each for "All That I'm Asking For"
  • Florian Ammon — synth on ""Everything" and "Near Life Experience"
  • Sonus Quartet — strings on "All That I'm Asking For"
Production
  • Jude Cole — producer
  • Chris Lord-Alge — Mixing
  • Serban Ghenea — Mixing on "All In", Halfway Gone, "Falling In", "By Your Side"
  • Florian Ammon — Mixing on "Here Tomorrow Gone Today", "All That I'm Asking For", "Crash and Burn", "Everything", "Near Life Experience
  • Greg Calbi — Mastering

(Adapted from iTunes LP)

Chart performance

Chart Peak Position
US Billboard 200 6[17]
Canadian Albums Chart 15
German Albums Chart[18] 38

References

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  13. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  14. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  15. ↑ Smoke & Mirrors (Deluxe Version) by Lifehouse
  16. ↑ Smoke & Mirrors (Amazon MP3 Exclusive Version)
  17. ↑ Caulfield, Keith. "Lady Antebellum Returns to No. 1 on Billboard 200". billboard.com. March 10, 2010.
  18. ↑ MTV
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