Almería (album)

Almería is the sixth studio album by American alternative rock band Lifehouse, released on December 11, 2012 by Geffen Records. The title refers to the Spanish city of Almería, where many classic western films were filmed. The album was produced by Jude Cole, who has worked with Lifehouse on previous albums. The lead single off the album was released in September, and is titled "Between the Raindrops", a duet with British pop singer Natasha Bedingfield.

Almería
Studio album by
Lifehouse
ReleasedDecember 11, 2012 (2012-12-11)
RecordedBox Canyon, California
GenreSouthern rock, acoustic rock, country rock[1]
Length39:21
LabelGeffen
ProducerJude Cole
Lifehouse chronology
Smoke & Mirrors
(2010)		 Almería
(2012)		 Out of the Wasteland
(2015)
Singles from Almería
  1. "Between the Raindrops"
    Released: September 11, 2012

On July 24, 2013, lead singer Jason Wade posted a letter on the band's Facebook page saying that Lifehouse has parted with Geffen but will continue to make new music.

Background

Almería has a different sound than the previous work of Lifehouse, with lead singer Jason Wade telling Billboard that "We just knew we had to go back to the drawing board and try something new. We felt like our sound needed to evolve and to change."[2]

Critical reception
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic
(Stephen Thomas Erlewine)		[3]
CCM Magazine
(Andy Argyrakis)		[4]
Entertainment Weekly
(Grady Smith)		B[5]
Evigshed Magazine
(Sylvie Lesas)		[6]
Jesus Freak Hideout
(Bert Gangl)
(Michael Weaver)		[7]
[8]
Melodic.net
(Johan Wippsson)		[9]
Under The Gun Review7/10[10]

AllMusic's Stephen Thomas Erlewine wrote that "On the whole, Lifehouse have gotten lighter with age. They no longer are determined to plumb the depths of their soul; they're happy to offer slight, meaningful textures to their introspective rockers. The cumulative effect is welcoming: they're brighter, happier, and lighter than before, qualities that make for one of their better records."[3]

CCM Magazine's Andy Argyrakis wrote that "Lifehouse cements its longevity on Almería by incorporating a bluesy, roots rockin' emphasis within its already sturdy modern rock framework. The results range from the catchy ear candy of Natasha Bedingfield duet, 'Between the Raindrops' and smoldering Peter Frampton tag team 'Right Back Home,' all the while showcasing front man Jason Wade's pensive but relatable lyrics."[4]

Entertainment Weekly's Grady Smith wrote that "These survivors of the early-aughts soft-rock matrix dip into blues and even country on their sixth disc, but it all suffers from a general blandness."[5]

Evigshed Magazine's Sylvie Lesas wrote that the album "is ambitious and extremely impressive and mainly, lives up to your expectations from Lifehouse."[6]

Jesus Freak Hideout's Bert Gangl wrote that "All too often, when artists branch out musically or lyrically, the albums that result are scattershot, incoherent affairs that leave the bulk of those who hear them more confused than impressed. Ironically enough, though, while the Almería record is easily the quartet's most eclectic and wide-ranging project to date, it also happens to be its most focused – thanks, in large part, to the aforementioned undercurrent of optimism and resolve that ties its disparate songs so neatly together. In the wildly successful inaugural Lifehouse single, Wade cried out in a plaintive voice that he was "desperate for changing" and "starving for truth." Twelve years and five albums later, it looks as if he might have finally found both."[7]

Jesus Freak Hideout's Michael Weaver wrote that "This isn't a record you've heard from Lifehouse in the past and it's not one you should pass up. It may take a listen or two to adjust to the sound of Almería, but this is the first Lifehouse album worth getting excited about in a while."[8]

Melodic.net's Johan Wippson wrote that "So of course it will sound strange when you mix organic rock with over-produced pop on the same album. Almería was a good idea, but as big Lifehouse fan, I regret to say that this is the band's weakest album to date."[9]

Track listings

All songs produced by Jude Cole and Lifehouse.

No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Gotta Be Tonight"Jason Wade3:11
2."Between the Raindrops" (featuring Natasha Bedingfield)
4:45
3."Nobody Listen"
  • Wade
  • Cole
3:40
4."Moveonday"
  • Wade
  • Cole
4:03
5."Slow Motion"
  • Wade
  • Cole
5:22
6."Only You're the One"
  • Wade
  • Cole
3:29
7."Where I Come From"Wade3:52
8."Right Back Home" (featuring Peter Frampton and Charles Jones)
3:58
9."Barricade"
  • Wade
  • Cole
3:04
10."Aftermath"Wade3:47
Total length:39:21
Deluxe Version
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
11."Lady Day"Wade3:37
12."Pins & Needles"Wade3:03
13."Rolling Off the Stone"Wade3:33
iTunes Deluxe Version
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
14."Always Somewhere Close"
  • Wade
  • Soderberg
  • Woolstenhulme Jr.
  • Cole
3:00

Personnel

Lifehouse

Additional musicians

Production

Charts

Album
Chart (2012) Peak position
US Billboard 200[11] 55
US Top Rock Albums (Billboard)[12] 12
US Digital Albums (Billboard)[13] 17
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References
  1. "Lifehouse - Almeria - Album Review - PluggedIn". PluggedIn. Songs blend Lifehouse's signature acoustic and piano style with genres as diverse as the blues and country.
  2. "Lifehouse on New Album 'Almeria': 'Our Sound Needed To Evolve'". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved November 24, 2012.
  3. Erlewine, Stephen Thomas (December 11, 2012). "Almería - Lifehouse". AllMusic. Retrieved December 20, 2012.
  4. Argyrakis, Andy (February 1, 2013). "Lifehouse: Almeria (Geffen Records)". CCM Magazine. p. 56. Retrieved February 7, 2013.
  5. Smith, Grady (December 7, 2012). "Albums: Dec. 14, 2012: Reviews of the latest releases from Game, and Lifehouse". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved December 20, 2012.
  6. Lesas, Sylvie (December 14, 2012). "Lifehouse Almeria Album Review". Evigshed Magazine. Archived from the original on January 23, 2013. Retrieved February 7, 2013.
  7. Gangl, Bert (December 14, 2012). "Lifehouse, "Almería" Review". Jesus Freak Hideout. Retrieved December 20, 2012.
  8. Weaver, Michael (December 17, 2012). "Lifehouse, "Almería" Review". Jesus Freak Hideout. Retrieved December 20, 2012.
  9. Wippsson, Johan (December 11, 2012). "Review: Lifehouse - Almeria". Melodic.net. Retrieved December 17, 2012.
  10. "REVIEW: Lifehouse- 'Almeria =Under the Gun Review". December 17, 2012. Archived from the original on 2014-07-16. Retrieved 2013-10-08.
  11. "Lifehouse Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard.
  12. "Lifehouse Chart History (Top Rock Albums)". Billboard.
  13. "Lifehouse Chart History (Digital Albums)". Billboard.
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