Smoke & Mirrors (Lifehouse album)

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.

Smoke & Mirrors
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) Smoke & Mirrors (2010) Almería (2012)
Singles from Smoke & Mirrors
"Halfway Gone" Released: October 27, 2009 "All In" Released: May 18, 2010 "Falling In" Released: February 28, 2011

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	[5]
Alternative Addiction	[6]
Jesus Freak Hideout	[7]
Melodic.net	[8] (Deluxe)[9]
Sputnikmusic	[10]
The Tune	[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]

Commercial 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	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 Rick 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

Adapted from the album credits.

Lifehouse

• Jason Wade – lead vocals, rhythm guitar, piano on "Don't Wake Me When It's Over"
• Rick Woolstenhulme, Jr. – drums, percussion
• Bryce Soderberg – bass guitar, backing vocals, lead vocals on "Wrecking Ball"
• Ben Carey – lead guitar on "Falling In", "Everything" and "Near Life Experience"

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

Charts

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

References

1. "Lifehouse : Biography". Lifehousemusic.com. Geffen Records. Retrieved 2010-08-11.
2. "Lifehouse Interview with Bryce Soderberg". About.com. The New York Times Company. Retrieved 2010-08-11.
3. "Kevin Rudolf Mellows Out Lifehouse". Billboard. Nielsen Business Media. Retrieved 2010-08-11.
4. "Interview with Ricky Woolstenhulme Jr. of Lifehouse". They Will Rock You. TheyWillRockYou.com. Retrieved 2010-08-11.
5. Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Smoke & Mirrors - Lifehouse". Allmusic. Retrieved 28 February 2010.
6. Ryan (2010-03-08). "Review of "Smoke & Mirrors" by Lifehouse". Alternative Addiction. Archived from the original on 2010-12-04. Retrieved 2010-08-08.
7. Schexnayder, Nathaniel (17 March 2010). "Lifehouse, "Smoke & Mirrors: Deluxe Edition" Review". Jesus Freak Hideout. Retrieved 2010-08-08.
8. Wippsson, Johan (2009). "Lifehouse - Smoke and Mirrors". Melodic.net. Retrieved 2 February 2013.
9. Wippsson, Johan (2010). "Lifehouse - Smoke & Mirrors (Deluxe Edition)". Melodic.net. Retrieved 2 February 2013.
10. boys, you wont (27 February 2010). "Lifehouse - Smoke and Mirrors (album review 2)". Sputnikmusic. Retrieved 2 February 2013.
11. Kasko, Jordan. "Lifehouse - Smoke And Mirrors (2010)". The Tune. Archived from the original on 8 March 2012. Retrieved 8 April 2011.
12. "Music Albums, Top 200 Albums & Music Album Charts". Billboard. Nielsen Business Media. Retrieved 2010-08-08.
13. "Lady Antebellum Returns to No. 1 on Billboard 200". Billboard. Nielsen Business Media. Retrieved 2010-08-08.
14. "Lifehouse Album & Song Chart History". Billboard. Nielsen Business Media. Retrieved 2010-08-08.
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