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Smoke & Mirrors (Lifehouse album)

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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
The band's name and the album's title reflected with purple smoke in the background
Studio album by
Lifehouse
ReleasedMarch 2, 2010 (2010-03-02)
Recorded2008–2009
Genre
Length45:00
LabelGeffen
Producer
Lifehouse chronology
Who We Are
(2007) 		Smoke & Mirrors
(2010) 		Almería
(2012)
Singles from Smoke & Mirrors
  1. "Halfway Gone"
    Released: October 26, 2009
  2. "All In"
    Released: May 18, 2010

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

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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

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Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
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

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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

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No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."All In"
  • Cole
  • Lifehouse
3:54
2."Nerve Damage"
  • Wade
  • Cole
  • Cole
  • Lifehouse
4:27
3."Had Enough" (feat. Chris Daughtry)
  • Cole
  • Lifehouse
3:45
4."Halfway Gone"
  • 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"
  • 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
Total length:45:00
Deluxe edition[15][16]
No.TitleWriter(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
Total length:64:09

Personnel

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Adapted from the album credits.

Lifehouse

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  • 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", co-lead vocals on “Here Tomorrow, Gone Today”
  • Ben Carey – lead guitar on "Falling In", "Everything" and "Near Life Experience"

Additional musicians

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  • 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", backing vocals on "Here Tomorrow Gone Today"
  • Jude Cole – guitars, backing vocals, synthesizer, keyboard on "Had Enough", bass on "From Where You Are"
  • Patrick Leonard – piano, synthesizer, synth bass, each for "All That I'm Asking For"
  • Florian Ammon – synthesizer on ""Everything" and "Near Life Experience"
  • Sonus Quartet – strings on "All That I'm Asking For"

Production

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  • Jude Cole – Record 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

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Chart performance for Smoke & Mirrors
Chart (2010) Peak
position
Australian Albums (ARIA)[17] 75
Austrian Albums (Ö3 Austria)[18] 44
Canadian Albums (Billboard)[19] 15
Dutch Albums (Album Top 100)[20] 40
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)[21] 38
New Zealand Albums (RMNZ)[22] 40
US Billboard 200[23] 6

References

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  1. ^ "Lifehouse : Biography". Lifehousemusic.com. Geffen Records. Retrieved August 11, 2010.
  2. ^ "Lifehouse Interview with Bryce Soderberg". About.com. The New York Times Company. Retrieved August 11, 2010.
  3. ^ "Kevin Rudolf Mellows Out Lifehouse". Billboard. Nielsen Business Media. Retrieved August 11, 2010.
  4. ^ "Interview with Ricky Woolstenhulme Jr. of Lifehouse". They Will Rock You. TheyWillRockYou.com. Retrieved August 11, 2010.
  5. ^ a b Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Smoke & Mirrors – Lifehouse". Allmusic. Retrieved February 28, 2010.
  6. ^ Ryan (March 8, 2010). "Review of "Smoke & Mirrors" by Lifehouse". Alternative Addiction. Archived from the original on December 4, 2010. Retrieved August 8, 2010.
  7. ^ Schexnayder, Nathaniel (March 17, 2010). "Lifehouse, "Smoke & Mirrors: Deluxe Edition" Review". Jesus Freak Hideout. Retrieved August 8, 2010.
  8. ^ Wippsson, Johan (2009). "Lifehouse – Smoke and Mirrors". Melodic.net. Retrieved February 2, 2013.
  9. ^ Wippsson, Johan (2010). "Lifehouse – Smoke & Mirrors (Deluxe Edition)". Melodic.net. Retrieved February 2, 2013.
  10. ^ boys, you wont (February 27, 2010). "Lifehouse – Smoke and Mirrors (album review 2)". Sputnikmusic. Retrieved February 2, 2013.
  11. ^ Kasko, Jordan. "Lifehouse – Smoke And Mirrors (2010)". The Tune. Archived from the original on March 8, 2012. Retrieved April 8, 2011.
  12. ^ "Music Albums, Top 200 Albums & Music Album Charts". Billboard. Nielsen Business Media. Retrieved August 8, 2010.
  13. ^ "Lady Antebellum Returns to No. 1 on Billboard 200". Billboard. Nielsen Business Media. Retrieved August 8, 2010.
  14. ^ "Lifehouse Album & Song Chart History". Billboard. Nielsen Business Media. Retrieved August 8, 2010.
  15. ^ Smoke & Mirrors (Deluxe Version) by Lifehouse
  16. ^ Smoke & Mirrors (Amazon MP3 Exclusive Version)
  17. ^ Ryan, Gavin (2011). Australia's Music Charts 1988–2010 (PDF ed.). Mt Martha, Victoria, Australia: Moonlight Publishing. p. 165.
  18. ^ "Austriancharts.at – Lifehouse – Smoke & Mirrors" (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved August 20, 2022.
  19. ^ "Lifehouse Chart History (Canadian Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved August 20, 2022.
  20. ^ "Dutchcharts.nl – Lifehouse – Smoke & Mirrors" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved August 20, 2022.
  21. ^ "Offiziellecharts.de – Lifehouse – Smoke & Mirrors" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved August 20, 2022.
  22. ^ "Charts.nz – Lifehouse – Smoke & Mirrors". Hung Medien. Retrieved August 20, 2022.
  23. ^ Caulfield, Keith. "Lady Antebellum Returns to No. 1 on Billboard 200". billboard.com. March 10, 2010.
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