Music : America Town

In association with Amazon.com

Rating:

- Superman
When I was a little boy, I'd imagine that whenever I had a problem SUPERMAN would swoop down and lift me up and he'd hold me in his STRONg arms as we fly throug the sky!!! The song SUPERMAn on this cd reminds me of those tiems.'

Hey! Wouldn't it be great it Bodge would sing the song Superman? Heres why. Now that I am older when I have aproblem I put on a Bodge cd and it "lifts me up." It's like I'm flying through the sky in Bodge's Strong arms. Instead of a cape He had that suit and Beard!!! And I am safe!!!

So, see, thats why BODGE should sing the song SUPERMAN. Maybe if he reads this, and Everyone reads Amazon.com PEO-PLE!!! HE will se it is a good idea and sing Superman on his next cd?!

Rating:

- Very introspective album with great hooks...
A very introspective album with great hooks. Nice blend of acoustic and electric guitars. Reminds me of a less quirky Ben Folds Five. This is actually their second release. Their first was on Capitol five years ago...I bet they are kicking themselves in the ass for giving up on them so quickly. Labels are so friggin' stupid!

Rating:

- Well worth the price and then some...
Every once in awhile, I have the good fortune to purchase a CD and actually feel really satisfied. While not every song on this disk moves me to the level of "Superman", they all are truely pleasures to listen to.

Rating:

- Easy Tonight...Hits The Spot!!
When I first heard "Easy Tonight" I was stirred. I don't know if it was something I was going through at the time or lyrics were just that good. "Shot Gun Fire Anybody Home I've Got Two Dimes In The Telephone".

The ballads on this CD are truly heart felt and real. John Ondrasik said that he wrote "Superman" during his lowest moment. Every songs seems to ring with sincerity...

Rating:

- More Than Just Superman
Five for Fighting is one of those musicians who just keeps getting better. His debut, "Message for Albert," was a pretty good record with some moments of pure genius (mostly towards the end). His sophomore effort is far better, with the genius in far greater supply and mixed in more evenly. All of the songs, apart from "Easy Tonight," "Bloody Mary" and "Something About You," range from good to great. Luckily the mediocre ones are all near the beginning of the album and have the great songs "Superman" and "America Town" interspersed between them. Still it is one of those albums which takes a couple of spins to appreciate fully. Even then you really need to listen closely to the lyrics to get the full affect of the music. And while it isn't one of my favorite albums in the world it is definitely a great effort that deserves to be recognized

A theme of hero worship and the pitfalls of it reappears throughout the album. It is present in "Superman" (obviously) which is about how even people we consider heroes are just normal, insecure folk underneath. It makes a brief appearance in the title track which mentions the mentality of "hailing to the chief" whether he is right or wrong before again showing itself prominently on "Michael Jordan," a song that shows a man so obsessed with a celebrity that he would throw away his entire life to be him. In "The Last Great American," Five for Fighting sings of how America's true heroes are dying out and how even though we recognize this and mourn their passing we are too shallow to really care or to become the new heroes the country needs.

Why I don't always agree with the opinions he expresses on this album, Five is obviously an extremely talented musician and America Town, despite its shortcomings, is well worth your money and time.

Song by Song Rating:

Easy Tonight [3/5]
Bloody Mary (A Note on Apathy) [3/5]
Superman (It's Not Easy) [5/5]
America Town [4/5]
Something About You [3/5]
Jainy [5/5]
Michael Jordan [4/5]
Out of Love [4/5]
The Last Great American [4/5]
Love Song [5/5]
Boat Parade [4/5]
Alright [4/5]
Do You Mind? [unlisted track] [3.5/5]

Note: Even if you don't find this album to your liking, I strongly suggest you check out Five for Fighting's third album "The Battle for Everything." This disc shows his real range and talent minus the extremely distracting social commentary that is so prevalent on "America Town."

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