America Town-good , But this even better!!!!
I was very contempt with America Town, but after buying Message for Albert was blown away by it. It containted a strong orchestral energy, and unique sound that i have never heard. If you are unsure of whether to buy this album or not, then listen to BELLAS B-DAY CAKE, 2 FROGS, AND 10 MILES FROM NOWHERE!!!!! This album also contains songs from America Town that I believe were recorded to sound even better on this album than America Town including: Last great american- ( great song), and Love Song,. If you want to add five for fighting to your collection, definitely purchase Message for Albert.!!!!!!!!!!
Pure genius. A must have.
Those familiar with the cd "America Town" know the quality John Ondrasik puts into his songs, and the raw emotion they convey. He is able to blend rock, folk, piano arrangement, and pop into a nice package that everyone can find something in. Writing deep and personal songs, the lyrics are just as deep as the music itself.
With "Message for Albert", the first release, one might find it different from America Town in that it is less produced and more intimate. What at first might seem like a setback actually works towards the artist's favor and creates one of the best albums I've ever heard. "Bella's Birthday Cake" is a delight to listen to repeatedly. It's an upbeat song with an insanely catchy chorus, put together by piano, drums, guitar, and harmonizing. It makes an excellent opening track and sets the mood for the album. Other songs are slower moving, (White Picket Fence, Ocean, Day by Day), they still lure you in with the small orchestral arrangements or the feel of the raw vocals sung by a man trained in opera. Ondrasik is again succesful with songs like "Wise Man" and "Two Frogs" that are drawn out, rock/folk ballads that you'll find addictive immediately. And although "The Last Great American" and "Love Song" are available on America Town, they're better here. For those that might label the album a bit of a downer, Ondrasik pulls a fast one and provides a feel good explosion of piano and harmony that will have you dancing around the room (Happy). The pinnacle for the album for me is "Ten Miles from Nowhere", which is one of the most powerful songs ever recorded. I put this song on par with U2's "One". It is one of the true examples of what this musician is capable of regarding musical maturity and emotional depth. Bottom line: If you're looking for brilliance along the lines of early Elton John and Billy Joel, this is right up your alley.
EVEN BETTER THAN AMERICATOWN!
HEY...IF YOU LIKED AMERICATOWN, I STRONGLY, VERY STRONGLY RECOMMEND THIS ALBUM. EVERY SONG IS GREAT, THE BEST BEING 10 MILES FROM NOWHERE. BELLA'S B-DAY CAKE, THE GARDEN, AND HAPPY ARE ALL OTHER GREATS. EVERY OTHER SONG IS GOOD ENOUGH TO BE CALLED SOME OF THE BEST SONGS EVER. YEAH, IT'S JUST THAT GOOD. I THOUGHT NOTHING COULD BEAT AMERICATOWN BUT MAN WAS I WRONG. IF YOU DON'T HAVE THIS CD IN YOUR CAR OR HOUSE...GET IT RIGHT NOW. YOU WILL NOT STOP LOVING IT!
Fairly Good CD
This cd definatly has some great songs. Note that I say great, not just good. White Picket Fence, 2 frogs, and 10 miles from nowhere are the best. There are however, some songs that I could do without. I recommend that you buy their other album "America town" because a lot of the songs on it are great. Still, this is a good album and definatly worth it.
Good but not as Good as latest
I like this album, but think "America Town" is definitely better. The version of "Last Great American" on "Message for Albert" is better than the more recent version, but overall, I think 'American Town' is a better album. I'd still recommend this one though. And to be fair, 'American Town' really grew on me so maybe "Albert" will seem even better in a few weeks. But for now, good, but not as good as their newest.
