Ondrasik ups the passion in 'Two'

By JONATHAN TAKIFF

takiffj@phillynews.com 215-854-5960

Guys grabbed much of my attention in this week's new releases pile.

While hiding behind the group moniker Five For Fighting,there's no mistaking the sweet, high-pitched voice and richly melodic anthems of John Ondrasik.

First embraced five years ago in the 9/11 aftermath for his realistic hero's song "Superman (It's Not Easy)," and more recently for the life's-too-short "100 Years," Ondrasik has built a rep with empathetic, big-picture songs about the human condition.

Now with the fourth FFF album "Two Lights" (Aware/Columbia, A-)Ondrasik strikes those clarion bells (from doubt to duplicity to self-determination) with even more passion and poignancy. It's a set sure to resonate with many, though probably turn off others who find the man unfashionably dramatic.

The long shadows of war darken his lyrics page and keyboard often on the new set. The wistful "Freedom Never Cries" finds a seeker of peace pawning a flag for a broken guitar, while acknowledging his newfound admiration for soldiers fighting that faraway war.

In the wistful "World," he warns nation (re)builders to "be careful what you wish for," while the rocking parable "Captain America" is clearly about more than just a reckless motorcyclist scaling Mission Hill.

The album's title song and centerpiece "Two Lights" serves the ultimate piece of emotional conflict pie - as a Vietnam-vet watches his young son go off to fight in Iraq with a mixture of pride and dread.

And while vague enough to be embraced by any couple who're "half a world away" from one another, the poignant "I Just Love You" will likewise resonant strongest with those split by war.

Lushly endowed with strings, "Two Lights" often sounds like some long, lost, classic Elton John album, cross-circuited with the most poignant ballads of another great piano man, Tom Waits.

But all is not totally bleak here. For balance, Ondrasik serves up the sardonic tales of "California Justice," the even more bizarre, OutKast-like brush with the law "Policeman's Xmas Party" and a charming homage to his youth personified in a "65 Mustang."

More from the guys

Squeezing lemons and making"Lemonade" (Brushfire, B), Philly's hip-hop-flavored acoustic blues man G. Loveaims to feel the grooves, share the love, and leave you in a good mood. Just don't make him go back to "Jersey," OK? Helping out are the likes of G's record label (and beach party music) mates Jack Johnson and Tristan Prettymen, plus Ben Harper & Marc Broussard and rappers Blackalicious and Jasper.

Likewise trading on hip-hop flavors without losing those tuneful hooks are Jurassic 5 on"Feedback" (Interscope, B+). These West Coast prog-rappers got a classic summer cruisin' thing going on with "Radio," dabble in reggae land with the sisterly vocal act Brick & Lace on "Brown Girl" and even make nice with jam stars the Dave Matthews Band on "Work It Out."

On It's About Time" (Columbia, B),squeaky clean teen pop rockers The Jonas Brothers pine for the cutest girl ("What I Go To School For"), travel through time to meet their great-great-great-grandaughter (on "Year 3000") and aim to make a really big romantic impression in "Six Minutes." Name-checking "Catcher in the Rye" doesn't hurt. Move over, Hanson!

For somewhat older, harder heads, the tough guys of The Pink Spiderswill mess up the walls and your brain with "Teenage Graffiti" (Sure One/Geffen, B).Color this one slick, snappy, glam-rock, produced by experienced hands Ric Ocasek and Jerry Harrison with punchy mixes by Tom Lord Alge. I love the trash and flash of "Little Razorblade" and the music hall feel of "Adalae."

With "You're Only Lonely," (Sanctuary, A-)adults will find a most handsome set of ballad covers done by Raul Malo.Best known as the verging-on-operatic (think Roy Orbison lite) lead singer of the Mavericks, Malo wraps his burnished, Southwestern pipes around the blues-lounge gem "At Last," the countrypolitan "So Sad (to watch good love go bad)," and the folksy "Feels Like Home" - the latter done up both solo and in a reprise with Martina McBride. Refined production by Peter Asher (of Peter & Gordon, James Taylor and Linda Ronstadt fame) dresses the show for your listening and dining pleasure.

Fans of Damien Rice, Jeff Buckley and John Martyn will connect well with the intimate, experimental chamber folk of Norwegian exportThomas Dybdahl, getting close to the mikes and the flame on "One Day You'll Dance For Me, New York City" (Recall B+).

All that jazz

Get your infants jamming in their jammies with "Baby Loves Jazz: Go, Baby Go" (Verve, B)featuring finger-snapping versions of "ABC," "The Wheels on the Bus" and "You Are My Sunshine."

"Hot Club of Detroit" (Mac Avenue, B) finds the group of the same name django-ing breezily through the night, with accordion and clarinet players going where fiddler Stephane Grappelli used to tread.

Seasoned songstress Tania Maria gets back to her Brazilian roots on "Intimidade" (Blue Note, B+).

For "Streams of Expression," Blue Note, B),saxophonist/clarinetist Joe Lovano builds on the classic Miles Davis "Birth of Cool" suite with compatible new ones of his own, blessed by third stream master conductor Gunther Schuller.

On "Industrial Zen" (Verve, B),veteran guitarist John McLaughlinand friends veer from jazz rock 'n' bop fusion modes to extended east-meet-west excursions.

We're heaping all A's, all the time on the latest crop of Rudy Van Gelder Remasters on the Prestige/Concord label - including the must-have "Mose Allison Sings," "Eastern Sounds" by Yusef Lateef, "Thelonius Monk/Sonny Rollins"and "Soul Message" by organist Richard "Groove" Holmes.