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Yolanda, Roving reporter

Five for Fighting - Slice

Five for Fighting - SliceArriving on the music scene more than ten years ago, Five for Fighting is back again with his new album Slice.

Slice is American singer-songwriter John Ondrasik's fifth album, with his previous album Two Lights released in 2006. The album is like a diary. It captures the thoughts and experiences of Ondrasik and his friends over the years.

While tracks from the new album haven't been receiving much airplay since its release in October 2009, the track "Chances" has achieved some success. Also the first single from the album, it featured on the soundtrack for the movie The Blind Side, for which actress Sandra Bullock won the 2010 Academy Award for best actress.

The album is mainly composed of lyric-driven pop songs with the occasional ballad. In a world where music is becoming more and more influenced by club culture and most songs are centred around how to have a good night out, this album is inspiring.

While Ondrasik has attempted to infuse a variety of musical styles into this album with songs like "Love Can't Change the Weather", his attempt to incorporate some R&B goes largely unnoticed. Unfortunately, some of the songs begin to sound the same. Nonetheless, there are four tracks on the album which are outstanding.

"Slice", the title track, is one of these songs. It details a slice in time when there were "no cell phones, just 20 thousand lights". Other standouts include "Note to the Unknown Soldier" and "Story of Your Life".

"Note to the Unknown Soldier" is a tribute to the servicemen and women of America, both current and past. It opens with a distinguishing piano introduction that positions it as one of the most memorable of the album.

Similarly, "Story of Your Life" is a homage to Ondrasik's own family, specifically his wife of 12 years, Carla. From his own experiences, Ondrasik attempts to embody his songs with sentiments to which all listeners can relate.

While you can't help but play these songs on repeat, none of them are able to emulate the sheer power of Five for Fighting's Grammy-nominated smash-hit "Superman", which came into its own in the aftermath of 9/11, establishing Five for Fighting's place in the music industry.

None of the songs on Slice are likely to come close to the success of "Superman", but the album is still worth a listen.

3 out of 5

For more CD reviews, check out our Reviews archive.

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