Music : America Town

In association with Amazon.com

Rating:

- Fresh Sound For A New Century
John Ondrasik is a pure genuis! FFF is basically John himself, with backup musicians. But the magic is purely John. This CD is one of my top 100 CD's ever! John sounds like Dave Matthews, but has a deeper style and meaning to his lyrics.

Superman is probably going to be FFF's trademark song. Due to the time that is came out, and due to John's wonderful singing. This song isn't really about Superman, (John's favorite hero) but that we are all not 'made of steel' but that inside we are all human, and the video does a wonderful job visually explaining the song.

This CD is going to the beach with me this summer, because each song is a perfect song to listen to: on the boardwalk, on the water, and on the beach.

And the cover says it all showing a boardwalk setting, it's a place that most people love, and it's where my heart will always be....

Rating:

- Cotton Candy Confection
Five for Fighting has created a sweet mix of sounds on "America Town." "Easy Tonight" starts slow with piano & guitar and then blasts loose on the electric chorus, "Shotfun fire -- anybody home? I got 2 dimes in the telephone." "Bloody Mary (A Note on Apathy)" is a midtempo track with churning guitar. The blockbuster track is "Superman" with a distinctive melody that builds from ballad to anthem, "I'm only a man in a phony red shirt; I'm only a man looking for a dream." The title track starts midtempo and ends with thundering lead guitar. "Something About You" is another distinctive melody; guitars wash over the arrangement. Another favorite is "Jainy," a slow tune with piano, strings and a beautiful melody. "Michael Jordan" has a piano-driven arrangement, "I would do anything for you." (Especially in North Carolina, most would agree!) Rhythm guitar and organ drench "Out of Love" with its sputtering beat. "The Last Great American" is a ponderous melody, "for every daughter, every son." "Love Song" has an unusual lyric, "Put away your raincoat & make you bed; take another bullet right to the head." The thing I like best about the storm of electric guitar called "Boat Parade" is that at 2 minutes 46 seconds, it's short and ends abruptly. "Alright" has a nice pop chorus and seems like a Peter Frampton deja vu. The hidden track "Do U Mind" is nice, although, I really wish this fad would stop and they'd just list it as the last track. It's annoying when you try to copy to your computer. All in all, this is a very good CD. The songs are sweet. If I were to suggest improvement, I'd want a bit more sense of a whole. The parts are mostly good, but the overall effect is a bit disjointed. That said, 5 for Fighting is very enjoyable.

Rating:

- True Gold in a mine of Fool's
Often I will turn on my radio while driving to school and quickly turn it off in discust for what is now considered "Music". Pop trash often floods the ears of America but this Albume has restored my confidence in new music. From the moment I put it into my sterio system I was in love, I have listened to this CD, literaly, 10 times since I bought it yestarday. Even favorites like Dave Matthew's Band have been temporarily but aside so this I can play this CD non-stop. John Ondrasik is extreamly gifted, his music is true and soul-full, you can tell that he truly cares for his art form and gives music true justice. He sings of love, heartbreak and life, his voice portraying the emotion of each song. I would recomend this albume to anyone who can appretiate good music. Whether you like soft and beautiful songs like "Superman" or rock like "Boat Parade" you will adore this albume. Considering that he plays Piano, Guitare and sings anyone can respect his talents. This albume will lift you up, gently lower you and in the end, leave you refreshed and happy to have such wonderful music flooding your ears.

Rating:

- Powerful...
I like to think of myself as an ecclectic when it comes to my musical tastes....I like all kinds, however, it takes a lot to really have a song/album speak to me like this one did.

I heard the song "Superman" on the radio for the first time last week (the station I used to listen to rarely played it) and I cannot believe how unbelievably gut wrenching this is. The tune is very easy to listen to, however, the lyrics just seem to be speaking to me and no one else...although I'm sure that every else feels the same. Mr. Ondrasik has an amazing talent in writing music in the third person so you feel it down to your soul. I know a lot of people have connected this song to "9/11" and the men and women who died doing heroic things and although I believe this is appropriate, I also believe that it can inspire us all to find a little more in our own selves without being too critical about what we have and haven't accomplished...we are all humans and I guess that's what he is trying to say....but in a moment, we all could be Superman.

I am recommending that you buy this if even for the one song although all of the other tracks are imaginative and creative. I hope this man keeps on writing....I know that I will keep on buying!!

Rating:

- Great Breakup Album
There are only a few missed notes on this album: America Town and the Last Great American are (as others have mentioned) pre-9/11 angst; whereas the (slightly) more hard rocking Michael Jordan just doesn't seem to fit the overall mood of the album.
That being said this album has more to offer than just Superman (though that alone is a good reason to buy America Town).
Easy Tonight, Alright, Bloody Mary and Something About You are along with Superman great songs with Easy Tonight and Superman the standouts.

Overally--a great album to have with you during a breakup.

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