Message for Albert [Original recording reissued]

Five For Fighting | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (March 13, 2001)
• Original Release Date: 1997
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Original recording reissued
• Label: Nettwerk Records
• ASIN: B00005A899
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (14 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #65,897 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. Bella's Birthday Cake

2. Day by Day

3. The Garden

4. Ocean

5. Happy

6. Love Song

7. Wise Man

8. White Picket Fence

9. 2 Frogs

10. 10 Miles from Nowhere

11. The Last Great American

12. (European B-Side)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Before Superman, Ondrasik was still pretty super..., June 1, 2005

By 

M. Miller (TN) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Message for Albert (Audio CD)

America Town is the album that people know Five for Fighting for, and really his song "Superman (It's Not Easy)" is what people really remember; however, before that John Ondrasik released Message for Albert, and too bad few ever got that message.

Five for Fighting was mixed in a stew of melodies and notes, as sometimes Ondrasik would hint at with the later Superman. For example, many times this album seems more like an early Dave Matthews, minus many of the instruments of course, while at others this is reminiscent of Billy Joel.

Yet the character is in the delivery as well as the message; thus power with quality is socked to the listener as they go from beginning to end. So much so, that I seriously believe this is another one of those few albums without filler, and although you might not like all of the songs, you should understand that few could achieve an album such as this that will captivate the audience for the whole listen.

Thankfully, as we have now seen recognition has been granted for the sounds of Five for Fighting. However, I just would like to highlight the often-overlooked first released album, and how good it really was (or is).

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Stand back Ben Folds Five, April 22, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Message for Albert (Audio CD)

Piano-driven rock is on the rise with the popularity of bands like Ben Folds Five and their smash hit Brick.

If you take Ben Folds Five and subtract the juvenile pop sound for their music, add a thick dose of emotion, beautifully arranged songs, and a scratchy voice, you've got Five For Fighting. This cd, being a debut, definitely surprised me. It is a very bold and HIGHLY underrated peice of excellent music.

Mostly slow, soulful southern-piano rock, ...Message for Albert... exemplifies everything that is great (and all too often lacking)in rock and roll.

The best song is 2 Frogs. Don't be fooled by the offbeat lyrics "I sing above my vision. I sing above my face. A fat old amphibian speaker for the dead. Gather round ye animals. Gather round this lake." This song has great depth. I think it's an anthem that reflects pure Americana.

Do yourself a favor. Buy this cd. I can't express how great it is. Imagine yourself sitting on a porch swing on a late spring day in a quiet countryside, drinking a beer, and staring off into a beautiful sunset. This cd will give you the music to accompany that vision.

12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars It's really, really good., March 26, 2001

By 

Dave Anderson (San Alsemo, California) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Message for Albert (Audio CD)

Once again I'm frusterated at Amazon's rating system. Four stars for this album seems just a little low, and yet it's not quite flawless, so I'm not entirely comfortable with giving it five.

At any rate, this is the debut album of Five For Fighting. It came out in '97, but has been out of print from just after its original release. I just saw it in a record store last weekend, so it seems it's been rereleased finally.

The album is very similar to its successor, 'America Town'. Just as good as, if not better than, that album. Engaging lyrics, lush arrangements, and catchy melodies are the norm. All in all, a great album.

One tidbit worthy of mentioning as a footnote is that two of the songs on this album were recycled for the follow-up. I, personally, prefer the recordings on this album.