I have been a fan of Five For Fighting for quite a while. Their songs are they type that I love to put on after a long day, grab a glass of wine and cook to. Their music mellows me out, gives me a fresh perspective and reminds me that things can only be better. I liked FFF with the release of Superman, but grew to love John Ondrasik and the band in 2004 when I heard the epic song 100 years .
I am the lover of the hip-hop and all things soul, but FFF's mature lyrics get to me. John's voice and songs are sweet, yet complicated. They are emotion laden, even haunting. His songs convey stories and give you snapshots or "slices" of where FFF has been. In many cases, where most of us have been - in love, looking for answers and wondering why things things are they way they are. FFF are a welcome departure from the bubble gum singers that I have to listen to with my 6YO daughter in the car. They are more contemporary than my husband's classic rock favorites and face it Fergie, Common and Adele don't always hit the spot.
The new album "Slice" is simply awesome. It is exactly what I would expect from John and the crew and is sure to please both new and long time fans. Their first single, "Chances", is sweet and reminded me of how much I have missed FFF. "Story of Your Life" was written for his wife and the kind of song that as a busy mom causes me to pause and reflect.
There is nothing I appreciate more than an artist who leverages his talent to benefit others. In Feb 2007 John launched a charity driven website – whatkindofworlddoyouwant.com that raises money for various charities when users view video clips provided by visitors to the site. They have given over $300,000 so far.
John created & produced “For the Troops”, a CD compilation of superstar recordings that is available for free to every active service person in US Armed Forces. Moreover, "Note to the Unknown Soldier" from "Slice" is beautifully done and gives words to my exact feelings.
What other random things do I love about FFF? John is a UCLA Alum! Woot! He is a hockey fan and sometimes writes for Sports Illustrated. Nice. The band has traveled the world performing for our troops abroad.
You can be a FFF fan on Facebook here or follow John on Twitter too! You can also check them out live: Nov 10th in San Francisco, CA at Swedish American Hall or Nov 11th in Los Angeles, Largo at the Coronet.
Ready to take a listen yourself? You can win an autographed CD right here! Just leave a comment with either the name of your favorite song or what intrigues you about checking them out. I will select the winner by Thursday, November 12th.Full Disclosure: The ladies at One to One network gave me a free download of FFF's album and is providing the give away album. This review is uncompensated.
