Customer Reviews

Two Lights

5 star:		(32)
4 star:		(11)
3 star:		(8)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

The San Fernando Valley can relax again. After suffering the after shocks of the disastrous Ray Romano/Kevin James movie "Grilled", along comes California born John Ondrasik with the save, a collection of songs worthy of printing another batch of "Visit California" bumper stickers. (Ondrasik goes by the name "Five For Fighting", which is normally used in reference to a hockey penalty, but he figured it would be easier for people to remember)

A series of little essays about life in America, freedom, war heroes, vintage cars and what have you, this album was inspired by real life conversations, and is the most personal of his three albums to date. First single "The Riddle (You & I)" is already taking the charts by storm, and justifiably so. He shares a conversation with his son, and sings "Here's a riddle for you / Find the Answer / There's a reason for the world / You and I..."

Other notable tracks are "Freedom Never Cries", a non-political war commentary with the lyrics "I only talk to God / When somebody's about to die / I never cherished freedom / Freedom never cries"; and also "World"; the highway anthem "California Justice"; the title track, and the retro "Johnny America". For pure, unadulterated feel-good listening you MUST try "I Just Love You", and for a quirky change try the reggae-tinged "Policeman's Xmas Party"

The one major failing of this album is that it only has ten tracks, but they're darned good songs, so dust off your Americana collection, get a new flag for the porch, and relax with Five For Fighting in your CD player today.



Amanda Richards, August 1, 2006

My primary recommendation for enjoying the album "Two Lights" is that you put it into your iTunes mix (or your CD player) and just let it play without focusing on it. Why? Because most of the songs here start a little slow in comparison to, say, "Superman" or "100 Years," so it's easy to think, "Man, he's lost it." When I just let the album play and got busy with work, though, after a while I found myself repeatedly pausing to listen and think, "Hey, that's good...who is it?"

The savior of this album, for me, is the lyrics. That is, most of these are great stories relating to family or the state of the U.S. and the world. "World," in fact, is all about deciding what kind of world you want it to be, because your choices make a difference. "Johnny America" and "Freedom Never Cries," on the other hand, are about the impact of America on the world -- good or bad. While "The Riddle" focuses on what a father teaches a son about living life and "I Just Love You" rings particularly true to anyone who loves a wife, husband, child, or parent well beyond the point of having particular reasons for doing so.

That said, "California Justice" and "Policeman's Xmas Party" don't do much for me, but they're OK. "65 Mustang" is light and fun to drive to -- no surprise there. And while I can't blame anyone for thinking, "Get to the point, will you?" on several of the songs, once they get going, they're well worth the listen.

My personal favorites? "The Riddle" (both versions), "World," "Two Lights," and "I Just Love You."

"Two Lights" isn't a really GREAT album, but if you enjoy Ondrasik's brilliant lyrics and light, crisp piano style, you should give this album the try it deserves.

John Ondrasik, the mastermind behind Five for Fighting, clearly never met a piano ballad he didn't like. Following the successful formula he developed on the mega ballad Superman (It's Not Easy) and the follow-up hit 100 Years, Ondrasik delivers a new album full of sugary ballads and gentle falsettos of the kind that hit the charts on earlier albums. Like those other albums however, Two Lights has only a few standout tracks and not as much of the diverse sound one hopes for on a new record.

"Freedom Never" is a somewhat weak opener that is entirely too soft musically but sentimental enough lyrically to make it difficult to dislike. "World" is the kind of beautiful ballad sure to be a hit and one of the standout songs on the album. On "California Justice" the band tries but fails to capture the sound of Counting Crows; despite similarities with Adam Duritz's voice and style, the song just doesn't work. Solid first single "The Riddle" is commercially viable, full of hooks, and laced with sentimental lyrics sung in Ondrasik's warm falsetto. "Two Lights" is the most elegant track on the record, a story of a father and son surrounded by layered strings and piano. This track is the kind of great track you wish the album had more of.

The second half of the album shows the band being a bit more adventurous. "65 Mustang" is the most different and most admirable track. This sound is a departure from the rest of the album, and thus stands out nicely. "I Just Love You" sounds like every other piano based ballad, but "Policeman's Xmas Party" comes across like a bizarre genetic cross between Devo and Sheryl Crow. "Road to Heaven" is another solid ballad, this time with keyboards instead of piano. The closing track "Johnny America" is another Crows sounding track, but this time the layered harmonies on the chorus and a Billy Joel piano sound produce a solid and enjoyable closing song.

Produced by Ondrasik and his fellow bandmates, Two Lights is a technically competent album clocking in at a touch over 43 minutes. Production values are solid, and the instrumentation is layered elegantly. Fans of the band will find enough on the album to be pleased, and radio will find several singles that will sell, but the obvious comfort level Ondrasik has with ballads renders this a good album that doesn't distinguish itself. In the future I hope someone takes away his piano for a while, gives him an electric guitar, and tells him to rock out and venture out of his comfort zone. The talent is there, but one can't live on ballads alone. This album is better suited to individual track downloads rather than a full album purchase unless you are a big fan.

A.G. Corwin
St. Louis, MO

The overall cd is pretty good. Not the greatest. Out of 10 songs tracks 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 are the only catchy ones. The rest don't really fit the first 5 tracks.

Freedom Never Cries: 3/5
Song is overall decent. Wouldn't make a single but it does have a wonderful tune to it and deep lyrics. The song gets boring in the music with a very unoriginal scale, G to D to E (walking down steps). It's an overused pattern and needs to be layed to rest for awhile.

World: 4/5
I can see this song becoming a single. Again you hear the annoying G to D to E almost right away, but it recovers with a powerful chorus and bridge that give the song new life.

California Justice: 5/5
Catchy tune and the beginning bass line is absolutely beautiful. The song has got to be one of the best songs on this release.

The Riddle: 5/5
First single from the CD and a wonderful choice, very deep story of his dad, himself and his son. Couldn't imagine a better tune for it.

Two Lights: 5/5
Another catchy song, symbolic and well put together.

65 Mustang: 3/5
Ok song about his car. Also somewhat catchy and enjoyable but not the best.

I Just Love You: 3/5
A simple love song. "I just love you, I don't know why, I just do." Very to the point, kind of plain though. But the bridge is an upbringer.

Policeman's Christmas Party: 1/5
Sad attempt at a "rap" or maybe a "porno" beat.
Worst song on the album. Sounds like he's drunk (the "party" touch maybe?) when he sang this song and the chorus maybe catchy but I can't bring myself to hear the rest of the song.

Road To Heaven: 2/5
Anyone remember that old overplayed hit "Something About the way..." by Elton John? That's the beginning of the chorus for you and thats the end for me. Or maybe the show "Fraiser" that was played years ago... maybe it's an escaped ballad from a future sequel...Still an OK song, the chorus really drives me up the wall.

Johnny America: 3/5
Too Americana and poppy for me (music wise).. it's ok but I don't really like the style of music here. As the verse starts I get into some. The chorus reminds me of an auto repair commercial... Michelan or something..

Overall: 3/5
Album is decent and is good for any Five For Fighting fan, but asa first time FFF album buyer, I'd rather stick with America Town. Sometimes a bands roots are just the most crowd sucking and some of us just get stuck there!

The new Five For Fighting offering is John Ondrasik's best overall release, an album that will probably provide more than just one hit unlike his previous records. The opener, "Freedom Never Cries," is one of the best tracks, showcasing Ondrasik's ability to seamlessly integrate nostalgia, life, and war into a song. "I never loved a soldier until there was a war." In fact, he spends much of this album pondering life as he has in the past, an act that may soon be getting old but provides for good songwriting nonetheless.

"World" is a good track that doesn't stand out amidst similar sounding tracks. By the time I get to "California Justice," I know that this album offers more listenability than his previous efforts. The fourth track is the first single, "The Riddle," a lyrically generic yet catchy tune examining life's riddle. The song is similar to "100 Years," but you can't blame Ondrasik for sticking to a formula that works.

The title track starts off like many Five For Fighting tracks and becomes hopelessly grand towards the middle with a full-on orchestra. "'65 Mustang" is a guitar-backed song about getting that car you always wanted, a subject probably tackled enough times in music history.

Hopefully made into a future single is the sweeping ballad and best song "I Just Love You," which is destined to get played on a TV show this coming year. John Ondrasik changes it up a little and gets quirky on "Policeman's Xmas Party." The quietest song on the album is "Road To Heaven," and the most upbeat is the catchy closer "Johnny America."

Fans of Five For Fighting and piano pop/rock should be pleased with this album. John Ondrasik sticks to his winning formula and there's nothing wrong with that.

Like too many places in our world these days, going where John (Five-for-Fighting) Ondrasik has with this release is filled with risks, and yet what he has shown is that he knows the terrain so well--melding words, music and a social conscience into beautiful art--that anyone with a beating heart will find themselves wanting to follow. From the opening notes played on piano, "Two Lights" will alternately move, sadden, amuse and inspire you. I think what makes this such a consistently wonderful release is the fact that John understands, and apparently always has, that the window to the world looks inward. These are songs for our times, and I wouldn't presume to try to interpret any of their lyrics; they need to be heard in the voice of the one who wrote them: "What kind of world do you want?/Think anything/Let's start at the start/Build a masterpiece/Be careful what you wish for/History starts now..." This is a beautiful and important body of work.

Rather than rush to write a review, I took some time to listen to this CD and fully absorb it. To me, the test of a truly great album is not my impressions the first few days, but rather how I feel about the album when I go back to it over time (and if I go back to it over time). Two Lights sounded very promising on my first casual listen. However, to fully appreciate the depth of this wonderful album, you need to sit with the lyrics and listen carefully. Only then can you appreciate the vivid and personal stories that John is conveying. The music seems so much more "right" in the context of the lyrics. There are several songs that I find deeply connected to as a prior military person. The album starts strong with Freedom Never Cries - a non political song that reflects on how we take things, like freedom, for granted. The song Two Lights is very emotional and gets me choked up when I listen to it. It captures the emotion of a father with a son at war. I think of my parents when I was in the gulf war, and although I know it was difficult for them, this song really brings home what their emotions must have been like. The Riddle of course is the big hit and worthy of such success. I heard John tell his story behind 65 Mustang, the car his dad used to bring him home from the hospital, and he in turn brought his child home in this same car - very personal from John and a fun song that captures this spirit and nostalgia well. Makes me wish my Dad kept his old T-bird for us to enjoy today - oh well. I Just Love You is a warm and melodic love song. Policeman's Xmas Party just confused me the first time I heard it. The quirky song of the album just seemed a bit crazy at first, but unexpectedly, it has grown on me. I looked up the story behind this song which is based on a murder that took place in his house. I still don't get the story from the lyrics but the song sticks in your mind. Road to Heaven and Johnny America are both reflective songs, with the latter being an upbeat ending to the album - and I agree with the promising outlook for our country "nobody in a hundred years can touch him faults and all".

The messages of self reflection, appreciation and trying to be a better person are hopeful and heartwarming... and after listening to this album for some time now, it just gets better with age - and is perhaps John's finest outing yet.

John Ondrasik has the voice of an angel on the track The Riddle. This is an excellent song about the relationship between a parent and a child. In my opinion, this is a very deep song that questions our very existence as human beings. Freedom Never Cries is an excellent song about the tragic price people often pay for freedom. Two Lights is a song about going off to war in Iraq. These are two similar songs in terms of theme and I enjoyed them. Califormia Justice is an interesting song about a person running from the law after committing a crime. 65 Mustang is a highlight song about how a car can trigger a person's memories of their younger days. I Just Love You is a very pretty love song. Johnny America is an upbeat song about a person working hard to achieve a goal. Road to Heaven is a spiritual and moving song. John hits all the high notes perfectly here, On a final note, I think John Ondrasik plays the piano and guitar beautifully on all of these tracks. His skill as a musician really compliments his talents as a vocalist. I really enjoyed listening to this CD.

I really liked "Superman," but I didn't buy FFF's first CD. I really liked "100 Years," but I didn't buy the 2nd CD either. So when I heard "The Riddle," I thought it was time to buy the CD, "Two Lights." Good call. REALLY good call. John Ondrasik (yes, it's a guy, not a band) is clearly a product of his influences; Elton John, Billy Joel, James Taylor, a certain ineffable Southern California point of view). This album is mostly piano ballads; several are topical, about a nation at war ("Freedom Never Cries," "Two Lights,"), some are dreams of a better place ("World," "Road to Heaven"), and some are simply love songs (e.g., "I Just Love You," which at the end gives a wonderful twist on the relationship being considered). But it's certainly not all ballads; "Policeman's Xmas Party" is truly odd but great fun, "California Justice" is sarcastic without being strident (and is full of SoCal references), "65 Mustang" is an upbeat throwaway, and "Johnny America" is out and out exuberant. If you like Harry Chapin and Steve Forbert and my patron saint, Jackson Browne, I think you'll like this. If you prefer songwriters to poseurs and melody to noise, and if the presence of a piano doesn't cause you hives, I think you'll like this. Grade: A.

Having never heard any of Five For Fighting's work, I decided I'd listen to TWO LIGHTS when it was available to preview before purchasing. I wasn't disappointed and it was refreshing hearing John Ondrasik and his band perform. Power pop is a neglected sub-genre/style these days. It is also very much associated with "Piano power" or "Piano Pop", which is exactly what is exhibited on this solid album by FFF.

The production and the orchestration on this album is one of many highlights. There is often the employment of strings alongside driving guitars, tender falsetto by Ondrasik, and ostinato piano lines. The mix is exceptional and for the most part you couldn't ask for a better mix. Occasionally on a few numbers, the guitars tend to destroy the mix being a bit overassertive within the overall production where volume is concerned. Overall, production is one of the drawing factors.

Other factors making TWO LIGHTS the solid album that it is is the songwriting and Ondrasik's immaculate vocals. True "songwriting" is something that some commercial/mainstream music lacks. Sure "My Humps" by the Black Eyed Peas had to be penned or "Toxic" by Britney Spears had to be scored, but they aren't a true singer-songwriters song. Its singer-songwriters like Alanis Morrissette, Fiona Apple, Sarah McLachlan, or even more recent crossover-Brit success Corinne Bailey Rae that are true singer-songwriters. Ondrasik joins that group with refined lyrics that emote the true essence of what true songwriting is. Even on the most uninspired tracks or the least serious tracks, the lyrics do stand out. Aiding the expression of the captivating lyrics is the exceptional vocals by Ondrasik, which emote the emotions Ondrasik himself sought to acheive when he composed his poignant words. Without his impassioned vocals, something ultimatly would've been missing from TWO LIGHTS. It is production, songwriting, and the impassioned vocals of Ondrasik that make TWO LIGHTS a success. That isn't to say that TWO LIGHTS doesn't have its flaws, because it does.

Along with the exception vocals along Ondrasik, one can't help but to filled annoyed after listening to the whole album. Ondrasik is a great, emotional vocalist, but he does grate on you a bit after he has been oh so tender and sang for too long in his falsetto register. Also, while a lot of the material is inspired, there are a couple of misses track wise on TWO LIGHTS. The biggest flop is the stupid, horribly catchy "Policeman's X-Mas Party" which changes the mood of the album from contemplative and somber to just plain rediculous. Sure it is well produced, but this is the only track where Ondrasik's vocal performance is questionable as well as the track itself. There are no tracks as bad as "Policeman's X-Mas Party", but there are other average tracks that don't standout as much such as "California Justice", "65 Mustang" (which comes over as somewhat unrelated to what the album is trying to emote overall), and "Road To Heaven", which to its credit is OK, but just not great. "Two Lights" isn't per say a hit, but it is better than the preceeded listed tracks. The true standouts are the incredible "Freedom Never Cries" which is simply put one of the most beautiful, touching songs that I've heard this year, period. "World" is good, but not as good as "Freedom", though most definitely a hit. First single "The Riddle" is a great track and Ondrasik sounds a good as ever. "I Just Love You" is another touching track that makes you want to cry about true impassioned love. Track 10, closing track "Johnny America" is a great way to end an overall polished album, only spoiled by such stupidity as "Policeman's X-Mas Party."

Overall, TWO LIGHTS is by no means a perfect album, but it does have a lot going for it. It is also slightly better than average, though if you explore other artists/albums in the power pop arena (ala Ben Folds, SONGS FOR SILVERMAN or other work), you will see there are better, more polished albums that stand on their own a little better. I can't help but to say that TWO LIGHTS impressed me in several ways. 3.5 stars.