Hey everyone! Just a quick update on what's happening around here.

Upgraded Website

I just launched an upgraded main website in preparation of Stanley Climbfall's 20th anniversary. There's an all new blog and some SCF-related goodies with more to come as we get closer to September.

New Logo

I've redesigned the LHF logo to match the style used during the SCF-era:

New Forum Theme

I'm working on a new theme for the forum to match the new website and hope to have that done in the next couple weeks... if you haven't noticed, the Stanley Climbfall era was my favorite in terms of design

More Blog Content

@robert has graciously agreed to become an author on the blog as well so between the two of us, it should have a bit more content going forward especially now that the new site is mostly finished.

-Shawn

@elmerrrrr if you listen closely to “pearls”, the mix is messed up. Sounds like they tried to cut and move the vocal track and didn’t clean it up. I definitely hear pearls now that you guys mention it though. I’ll have to post these on the site in the morning. Nice job 👍

As you all know, the 20th anniversary of Stanley Climbfall is only 8 months away (9/17). I'm working on something special for the site to commemorate it and would like to include the community in this.

If anyone has any photos from the SCF-era (live, photos with the band, etc.) that they'd like to share, please post it here or send me a message. I'd like to do more things this year to celebrate the anniversary. If more people join the community, I'd like to have some kind of contest to give away some kind of SCF merch (official or fan made). Feel free to send me your ideas!

I've come across a little over a hundred (official!) pictures from this era that I'll be using in this project and hope to have it ready in the next couple of months.

Anyone recognize this photoshoot? :wink:

@robert That's cool! I should go through his Instagram and see if he has any other background to the songs he's released. I'd love to include those notes on the site!

This Empty Northern Hemisphere is where I started with Greg. Listened to it on repeat all summer one year and it always brings me back. Not sure if you are into vinyl at all but Bandbox did a special pressing of that album with a large custom booklet with all sorts of details about the album. He's definitely one of those artists that consistently gets better with each album. The Weatherman took a bit of warming up coming from TENH though. Right now, Evening Machines is my favorite... pure gold!

@robert Great review of the album! Some good points on the Twisted Lullabies project. I forgot about that. We should get another thread going for Jason's side projects since there was several that were "known" but never came to fruition (at least under their respective names).

For some reason, I thought SSB was part of the Dear Mr. Tumnus project (I think that's what it was listed under on the original LifehouseFans site) but it makes more sense in the list you've suggested as TL songs.

I also agree, these songs are all fairly dark and I kind of enjoy that (is that dark? lol). Lifehouse songs always have an air of optimism and hopefulness which is a good thing but sometimes I need a darker song to soothe whatever mood I'm in from time to time. I tend to put on Gregory Alan Isakov or Jon Moreland in that case ("Cherokee" by JM is fantastic if you haven't heard it yet).

I never considered "Running Away" as directionless until you mentioned it. This was one of my favorite b-sides from the S/T era. Musically the song felt too "structured" and the lyrics do lack the sort of "depth" we've come to know from other LH songs. It reminds me of "All the Same" in the way the verses manage to say little at all but drag on a bit too long. I also noticed how Running Away recycles other LH song titles (maybe inadvertently) such as "Come Back Down" and "Good Enough".

@robert That's amazing! I had no idea the CD had that printed inside. I ordered it but I don't think I ever looked at it because I had the digital copy already (ordered for the collection).

WIth that in mind, I'm pretty happy with how close I came to my guesses. I felt like I was trying too hard to make songs seem older in my mind because of how much I enjoyed the music from that era.

Can't wait to hear your thoughts when you have time! I think I might do a write up for "Ode to Silence" and/or "Paper Cuts" next.

I’ve been listening to this collection more lately and I’m starting to notice things lyrically and musically that remind me of other Lifehouse songs/eras. I started writing this post as kind of an A:B comparison to try and place when these songs might have been written by LH album era but it sort of turned into a review.

Please share your thoughts/comments. Let’s talk about the songs. Any lyric in particular stick with you?

1. Ambien - ★★★★☆
   
   I’m guessing this one was written around NNF/SCF. The big acoustic sound in the intro reminds me a bit of NNF and the chorus has hints of The Beginning. Easily one of the best in this collection IMO. Ambien is a sedative used to treat insomnia which is mentioned a couple of times through this collection of demos.

2. What You’re Looking For - ★★★★☆
   
   I love the effects (wah/reverb?) on the guitars on this track. Reminds me of the effects they used during the DLD/NNF days (even into SCF).

3. Fool Who Sticks Around - ★★★☆☆
   
   Lyrically and musically, this reminds me a bit of the yellow record era. Not my favorite but it’s a good song.

4. Never Going Back - ★★★★☆
   
   I can’t place this one in the Lifehouse timeline. I could see this being on a soundtrack at some point in the early/mid-2000s. Definitely a good track!

5. Read Between the Lines - ★★☆☆☆
   
   I’m getting slight yellow record vibes on this one but lyrically, I feel like it may be an older track. It’s one of my least favorites out of them all.

6. :crown: So Much to Lose - ★★★★★
   
   I can’t really place this to a specific Lifehouse era. I couldn’t really see it on a LH record (probably why it never was?) but could see this as another soundtrack song or maybe Paper Cuts era. Regardless, this is hands down one of my favorite solo Jason tracks of all time. Lyrically, it’s excellent. It’s heartfelt and relatable. I love the simplicity of the music with the lead coming in at various points without being overwhelming. That short interlude is really beautiful… best track in this collection!

7. All the Same - ★★★☆☆
   
   I wish I could make out more of the lyrics (that bridge is a mystery). I’d say the lyrics on this one are the weakest in the bunch though. I gave this an extra star because of the music and vocals; it’s good - just not great.

8. The Place That I Fit In - ★★★★★
   
   This one is good. Old school Blyss good. The Edge good. In fact, this may be from that same time period. The chorus’ chord progression is very “The Edge” and the last few notes at the very end remind me of the effects used on it as well. I wouldn’t be surprised if he played this at Malibu Vineyard to be honest with the subtle nod to a creator: “I know who is controlling my existence / And that's not something I'm not gonna fight”.
   
   Complete with the “la da da” interlude (à la Crown of Scars), vocals on this sound like they may have been recorded a while ago as well which adds even more nostalgia to this gem!

9. Sleeping With the Lights On - ★★★★☆
   
   I actually like the effects on the vocals for once! It gives the song kind of a “concept” feel if that makes any sense? Another song with references to insomnia. Vocal effects aside, I can’t place this in the Lifehouse timeline. The keyboard/bass lean me towards WWA-era. I could see him doing this solo live during that tour.

10. Remember Me - ★★★★☆
    
    This one feels really polished, even more than some of the newer non-demo releases. It also feels newer than most of the other tracks here but all the while retaining a classic JW solo vibe.

Overall Rating: ★★★★☆

Some are more “demo” than others but these are the most polished demos I’ve probably heard from any artist with several tracks sounding like they could be masters. Lyrically, there’s a few gems and So Much to Lose & The Place That I Fit In take the cake.

What does everyone think of this collection of demos? It was fun listening and trying to figure out when the song might have been written.

Did some Googling on "casting pills" to see if that meant anything and stumbled upon this proverb from dictionary.com:

Do not waste good things on people who will not appreciate them. This proverb is adapted from a saying of Jesus from the Gospels, “Cast not pearls before swine.” Jesus appears to be warning his disciples to preach only before receptive audiences.

With that, I'm thinking:

You feel your senses back online
It's not coming from a pill
No casting pearls before the swine
As the suits drown in the swill

It "sounds" like it matches but I'm not sure I understand the context if it's correct.

Just got an email from Allswell Records saying Jason’s solo album is coming out on CD and Vinyl! :confetti_ball:

That's right! I forgot he released "The Way You Remember Me" (I think it was for charity?). Do you remember where Jason mentioned GAI as an influence? I'd love to read the article (unless it was just a post?).

I totally see some similarities to GAI in a couple of the tracks on here and I'm really pumped now for "Windows". I was going to wait until tomorrow but you've convinced me to listen to the preview and I am thoroughly impressed. This sounds like it has the potential to be my favorite off the album; possibly my favorite solo track he's released. I'll find out in a few hours!

Hey all,

Some improvements have been made to the Lyrics portion of the website.

There is now a landing page to pick an artist:

…and you can also navigate between lyrics (previous and next track) if you’re reading along with the album:

I've also added some initial Track Stats which I'm hoping to expand upon later:

Been listening to a lot of Gresham lately and this song stuck out the most. I decided to dust off my guitar and try to tab it out. I've got most of the intro and verses tabbed out but I'll wait until I can figure out the rest before posting. Here are the chords that make up the picking Jason is using. Feel free to help with the tab if you can!

Dear Pain by Jason Wade
Tabbed by: Shawn Eggleston (LifehouseFans.net)

Tuning: Eb
Capo: None

[INTRO]
F  Am
F  Am


[VERSE 1]

F                       Am
I wrote my story in the sand

F                                     Am
Walked away in shoes that were second hand

F                      Am
I put my pain inside a box

             F                               Am
I'll feel it later when I finally change the locks


[VERSE 2]

F                             Am
Yeah, I watched ‘em drop like flies

     F                         Am
Like dominoes falling across my mind

F                            Am
Gonna need a better place to hide

F                                      Am
'Cause nothing's safe here, nothing is alright


[CHORUS]

C                             G
All these years it was me and you

             Am                     F
You were the dynamite and I was the fuse

C                                G
If you're gonna make me pick and choose

Am                                    F
I know that I'm gonna have to cut you loose


[VERSE 3]

F                                   Am
I threw the apple as far as I could see

      F                                      Am
Yeah, there's no shade here under the family tree

F                                Am
Yeah, there's no use crying here alone

F                                  Am
We both know where they buried the bones


[CHORUS]

C                             G
All these years it was me and you

             Am                     F
You were the dynamite and I was the fuse

C                                G
If you're gonna make me pick and choose

Am                                    F
I know that I'm gonna have to cut you loose

C                    G
Hello pain my oldest friend

                Am                           F
You'd wrap your arms around me to the bitter end

C                                G
If you're gonna make me pick and choose

  Am                                  F
I know that I'm gonna have to cut you loose


[INTERLUDE]
Am  F
Am  F


[VERSE 4]

F                                         Am
I've been running since I was seven years old

      F                                     Am
Dug a hole to China, reached the California sands

F                      Am
I put my pain inside a box

            F                              Am
I guess I'll finally put it in some bigger hands


[CHORUS]

C                             G
All these years it was me and you

Am                                  F
You were the dynamite and I was the fuse

C                                G
If you're gonna make me pick and choose

  Am                                  F
I know that I'm gonna have to cut you loose

C                    G
Hello pain my oldest friend

Am                                           F
You'd wrap your arms around me to the bitter end

C                          G
But I won't wear you for a noose

Am                                      F
You know that I'm gonna have to cut you loose

@robert said in The Great Big Music Trivia Thread:

You and Me

Written 2000, released 2005

LH’s biggest hit, we likely all know, was written in the same few months as Hanging By A Moment — it began as a track called You, Me, and All of the People, written when Jason proposed to his now partner.

I didn't realize it was written that early on. It's a good thing they held off on releasing it. It definitely wouldn't have fit in with the rest of No Name Face!

Spin
Written 1997, released 2002
Spin began as an early poem of Jason’s, written near the beginning of the Blyss era but lacking a bridge — Ron Aniello helped him write one, turning it into a song and setting it up to be the first track off Stanley Climbfall.

I love, love, love the extended outro on Spin!

Wish

Written 2001, released 2015

I’ve mentioned this in past posts, but Wish was written in 2001 and demoed for Stanley Climbfall, before being shelved for over a decade. Jason began working on the song again in 2012 for Paper Cuts, and finished that version of the song in 2013. The band once again totally overhauled the song for OOTW, and we are blessed with three versions of a fan favourite.

2001: Best. Version.

Storm
Written 1997/1998, released 2007
Storm was initially featured on Diff’s Lucky Day, and wasn’t played in concert until it was requested at the Cleveland House of Blues in May 2005. Jason played the song there, and began to incorporate it into his set once in a while, and the band ultimately tracked the song in 2007 while finishing Who We Are.

The Blyss version of "Storm" is magic. One of the best tracks on Diff's Lucky Day in my opinion. The lead guitar during the intro set up this dreamy, floating-on-the-water feeling that pulled you in and set the tone for what was to come. His vocals at this point were so sincere and raw it felt like you were standing in the midst of what he was going through. I've never been a big fan of the re-recordings for Storm or Wish because I felt they lacked that raw emotion and were over-engineered but I'm glad there are these other versions. Not everyone connects to a song the same way and these songs are too incredible to miss.

Barely survivng has become my purpose / 'Cause I'm so used to living underneath the surface

After spending the past couple of weeks listening to Gresham again, I definitely see this song in a new way.

The songs I can think of are "Exhale" and "Shiny Silver Beast". Both were written around the yellow record (or before?). They were originally shared on the original LHF site sometime between May 2003 and May 2006 (Wayback Machine doesn't have that gap sadly). As we know, "Exhale" was released in 2015 as a bonus track for OOTW and "Shiny Silver Beast" was recorded in 2013 for Paper Cuts but not released until 2017.

I always assumed these were related to the Dear Mr. Tumnus project but I have no reason to believe it was true. The song names "Porcelain Mask", "Dear Mr. Tumnus", "White Witch", "Shiny Silver Beast" and "Exhale" all seemed to fit together at the time.

I can't believe it's been 7 years already, wow! I just pulled out that Collectors Edition tin they were selling back then. Kind of gimmicky but I liked the alternative album artwork/slip case they included with the CD (guitar picks came in handy, too!)

Every release day, I run to the store to pick up a physical copy (since WWA; I pre-ordered SCF/LH online) and OOTW was no exception. I picked up a copy of the Target Exclusive version with all the bonus tracks. I was most excited for "Exhale" since I knew that track had been floating around since the early 2000s (song title posted on the OG LHF B-Side lyrics page back around 2004/2005).

My favorite tracks on this record (in no particular order) were Runaways, Firing Squad, Alien, Hurt This Way and Exhale. I was also pretty excited for "Wish" and while they did do a great job, the rawness of the original version of "Wish" made it difficult to get into the new version with the strings.

I always enjoyed Bryce's work with Komox Kids but his solo LH tracks never clicked for me. Stardust always felt out of place with the rest of the record and while it's a decent song on it's own, I usually skip it.

I was really looking forward to seeing them live for this tour but it became the second tour (back-to-back if I remember correctly) to fall through for them. I did see them a few years later for their Greatest Hits tour which was amazing... felt like a kid all over again.

Hey everyone! Just a quick update on what's happening around here.

Upgraded Website

I just launched an upgraded main website in preparation of Stanley Climbfall's 20th anniversary. There's an all new blog and some SCF-related goodies with more to come as we get closer to September.

New Logo

I've redesigned the LHF logo to match the style used during the SCF-era:

New Forum Theme

I'm working on a new theme for the forum to match the new website and hope to have that done in the next couple weeks... if you haven't noticed, the Stanley Climbfall era was my favorite in terms of design

More Blog Content

@robert has graciously agreed to become an author on the blog as well so between the two of us, it should have a bit more content going forward especially now that the new site is mostly finished.

-Shawn

Does anyone have some high resolution concert photos from the SCF era? Looking to use them on the website and credit will be provided!

I've just finished listening to this all once through and I'm really impressed! This is unquestionably my favorite ØZWALD release as a whole.

I'm working on transcribing the lyrics so if anyone is interested in helping, please do. Thanks @robert for the publishing info! I included that in the track notes for each track (except for Smithereens).

EDIT I moved all the lyrics to the main site: https://lifehousefans.net/discog/ozwald/future-wars/

I've really enjoyed the soundtrack to Halt and Catch Fire and artists such as Noah Gundersen and Holly Humberstone have incorporated some of this sound into their music. I never knew it was called synthwave.. that's good to know! When I get into my programming mode these types of tunes keep me laser focused.

WCG just released his fifth (and best!) studio album titled “Baker Hotel”. I would say it’s a mix of country and southern rock. Not the typical mainstream country sound though.

When it comes to album art, his take the cake. Seriously creative, beautiful, storytelling artwork.

“Gun to Your Head”, “Give a Damn”, “All You Got” and “Leave Me Alone” are just a few of my favorite tracks on the album.

The title track is a fun song about the abandoned Baker Hotel which is located in Mineral Wells, TX. Another stand out song is “Dog Song”. Not my favorite on the record but it’s definitely a good laugh. As the owner of two dogs, I can empathize with some of the shenanigans.

His Live albums are really good also and he shares stories behind several of the songs.

Ringling Road and Hebert Island are my favorite as far as album art go:

That’s pretty crazy! I was just thinking about this last night in fact. They’ve got 6 records done so far which in a traditional release cycle is ~12 years worth of music.

Artificial Odyssey is easily my favorite ØZWALD record to date, though I’m not a huge fan of most of the others (Sweet Delirium was the only other I really enjoyed). I’m interested to see how Garden of the Sun stacks up with the rest of their discography.

@snowfist I’ve listened to it a few times so far. It feels a little faster than his original cover. I do like the stripped down of the original cover but this one does have a high quality sound to it. You Belong to Me was/is probably my favorite cover that he’s done.