Product Description

In the year 2000, you'd be well within your rights to assume there's little new ground to be broken by a guitar-bass-drums rock band. Admittedly, you'd probably be right; Lifehouse doesn't break any astonishing new ground or pioneer any new trends. That's not what this pop-rock trio is about. They're more concerning with crafting solid songs and arresting arrangements than being the Next Big Thing. Fortunately, their songcraft has proven solid enough to earn them a solid following.
The group has clearly learned some lessons from the post-Nirvana school of alt-rock. They handily combine melodic, understated moments with emphatic sonic outbursts. Moody keyboards and delicate acoustic guitar walk hand in hand with hardy power chords and hard-hitting rhythms. Simple buteffective melodic hooks keep the listener's attention focused on both the personal, ruminative lyrics and the pop-friendly production.

Track Listing

1. Hanging By A Moment
2. Sick Cycle Carousel
3. Unknown
4. Somebody Else's Song
5. Trying
6. Only One
7. Simon
8. Cling And Clatter
9. Breathing
10. Quasimodo
11. Somewhere In Between
12. Everything
13. What's Wrong With That
14. Fool

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #7379 in Music
• Released on: 2001-07-30
• Number of discs: 1
• Running time: 63 minutes

Amazon.co.uk Review
No Name Face is an auspicious debut from Lifehouse, a band seemingly made to rule the airwaves. The insinuating melodies that mark their radio-friendly sound are not unlike those of Matchbox Twenty in their softer moments. From the first single, "Hanging by a Moment", to the emotive and uplifting "Quasimodo" and the wonderful "Trying" (think Crowded House at their lilting best), Lifehouse are self-possessed and focused. Young singer-songwriter Jason Wade (the son of two ministers) imbues Lifehouse's vibe with a spiritual quality that's never heavy-handed, delivering the goods with the authority of an experienced troubadour. No Name Face may be a first offering from a young band, but it looks to signal the beginning of an estimable career. --Katherine Turman

Customer Reviews

A Masterpiece
"No Name Face" is that rarest of things: an absolute jewel of an album that not that many people have heard of. But make no mistake, this is music craftsmanship of the highest caliber.

I first heard some tracks from "No Name" circa 2002-03, and thinking I liked what I heard purchased the album soon after. Since that point this album has been one I have revisited over and over again, and today stands as one my all time favourites in my collection. As other reviewers have noticed, the album is almost universally strong, with almost any track capable of being a single in and of itself (ironically I would argue that "Breathing", which was released as a single, is probably the weakest song on the album).

What makes "No Name" such a great experience is the uniform cohesion of it's different elements. Musically the band are at home with soft guitar melodies and with songs with harder rock leanings (such as "Quasimodo"). They don't feel strapped down to turning out generic tracks here, but use the right sound for the right effect, keenly aware of the ambiance needed in each song. The music compliments the lyrics wonderfully, and what you're left with is the sound of musicians hitting the right buttons simultaneously.

And what great lyrics they are. In a decade that has seen the popularization of emo music and countless bands pouring their hearts out, it's a rare thing to have a band capable of communicating deep things without sounding cheap and tawdry. Lifehouse do this here with aplomb, covering a range of heartfelt topics from individual struggles with sin and habitual failure, through to the deep platonic lovesong of "Simon" and the joyous release of the aforementioned "Quasimodo". By the time album ender "Everything" warms up to it's glorious finale, it's a spectacular finish of unashamed and unapologetic exultation, looking upwards and above - a special thing compared to so much naval gazing that occupies modern music. Even bonus tracks "What's Wrong With That" and "Fool" are strong in their own right.

In short, there are few albums that one continues to connect with over the years, but this is one. It's uniformly excellent, and what's more it's the best kept secret of post-millennial rock. So buy, listen to it, and enjoy the sound of people being real and beautiful in their reality.

Hanging by a Lifehouse
I bought this album when i was in Cornwall in 2001 and i listened to nothing else the whole time i was there. It really surprised me just how good it is especially as not being a great fan of radio friendly American rock. Every song is a winner, with the opening blast of "Hanging by a Moment" and the last track, the gorgeous "Everything" being my standouts.

One of the best albums ever!
Hearing them on smallville, i decide to look a little deeper into them and read the reviews on Amazon thinking ot can't be as good as they say, but it is the best album i have heard in along time and very suprised that they weren't bigger when released. This album is so much better that albums out now like woeful kaiser chiefs and james blunt. I would definately suggest anyone who has heard any of there songs to buy it.