Who We Are

Album Review

Questions of identity seem to loom large in Lifehouse's mind. On their third album, they titled it after themselves, and now on the 2007 follow-up, they state Who We Are — a declaration that could easily be a question depending on the punctuation and emphasis. Does this fourth album add up to a statement or question? It's the former, but that doesn't necessarily provide a fulfilling answer for doubters. The curious thing about Who We Are is that the trio still parties like we've just left Y2K: there's no garage punk, no emo, no spacy precious pop, no electronic flourishes — it's post-alternative guitar rock preserved in amber. Guitarist/singer/songwriter Jason Wade contends that he's battling inner demons by wresting angels on the opening "Disarray," but Lifehouse don't hit as hard as they used to, since the bandmembers are starting to see the twilight of their twenties. Although there is little melody here, they're starting to mellow in characteristic fashion: with sincerity.