Slice

The man who finds time fro everything

The band Five For Fighting was formed in the USA by the singer-songwriter John Ondrasik, who is still its unchangeable leader. In his early years, Ondrasik decided to write and perform music, thus he managed how to play the guitar and the piano. It all came naturally, as he was a child from a musical Los Angeles family. However, devoting all his free time to music, John graduated from a college with a degree in applied science and mathematics. All in all, this man finds time for everything he planned. For about several years, he simultaneously gives live shows with Five For Fighting, writes new compositions for his collective’s albums, but at the same time assists other performers and composes soundtracks to different films and series. The lyrics of the songs by Five For Fighting also suggests that Ondrasik also manages to meet and speak to ordinary Americans, work in his charity fund and ponder over philosophic issues. This year, Ondrasik and company recorded their fifth album Slice, the title for which was chosen by the singer’s fans, who spend much time on his official site. This time, the artist paid the main attention to the music, putting it on the first place before the sensitive texts – and now each song has the stylish retro tint and possesses an elaborate arrangement.

Retro and wonderful arrangements on Slice

The choice of the title was made in the favor of Slice deliberately – it has the allusion to the popular in 90s and made be even cult teenage comedy American Pie. Thus, all the record is filled with the atmosphere of nostalgia and imposing old-fashion flavor with the slant to the symphonic music. The gentleman-like and gallant image of Ondrasik also stresses this new cause of the band on delicate arrangements – in this matter we can bravely call all the eleven songs of the disc masterpieces. The titling track Slice with the high-pitched vocals by Ondrasik tells us about those times, when everything was easier in life. The song Note To The Unknown Soldier does not need introduction – if we think how much time the singer pays to his charity fund and talks to the military men, we would realize that such song in his collection was just a matter of time. The pop track Chances is not only the first single from the long-play, it is also one of the best songs on it. The retro-tune This Dance is an excellent love song, while the motif Above The Timberline radiates happiness, caused by the same great feeling. The track Transfer will remind the listeners that Ondrasik mostly works in the field of soft-rock, while the composition Story Of Your Life is a heartfelt dedication to the artist’s wife. The melody Love Can’t Change The Weather with a touch of soft irony has an amusing R&B-meddling, while the song Augie Nieto is written about one of Ondrasik’s personal heroes.

Tunes are one of the best parts of Five For Fighting

Thus, the disc Slice differs from its predecessors in the way that Ondrasik decided to make an accent on the tunes, not on the texts. We should say that the elaborated melodies are one of the best parts of Five for Fighting. Wrapped into the retro-arrangements, they sound really pleasant and thrilling. The verses of the tracks are the same still – the adored by the listeners sincere, emotional life stories. And it is really hard to imagine the stories more grasping, more catching than the ones, taken right from life. As for the music, the disc Slice is sure to cheer the devoted fans of Five For Fighting, but it will also amuse those, who are fond of piano music – the album has plenty of piano – and musical connoisseurs that appreciate masterful retro-stylization. The band recorded a strong, integrate album, worthy of the collective that created Superman (It's Not Easy) in its time. That song helped American people to unite after the tragedy of September 11 and helped those, who lost relatives and friends in that inferno, survive their grief. The band Five For Fighting is able in music composition, and its creations are delicate and popular among the widest layers of the society at the same time – and the album Slice did not become an exception from this rule.