The News originally formed in Mooloolaba, Queensland in
1985. Peter Furler and George Perdikis
were joined by John James and Sean Taylor.
When they came to the U.S. they changed their name to The Newsboys so as
not to be confused with Huey Lewis and the News. In 1988 they released their debut READ ALL
ABOUT IT. Their 1992 album NOT ASHAMED,
which included a cover of DeGarmo and Key’s ‘Boycott Hell’, put them on the map
in the CCM market. 1994’s GOING PUBLIC
won a Dove Award for Rock Album of the Year and included the fan favorite
‘Shine’. In 2009 former DC TALK vocalist
Michael Tait became lead singer when Peter Furler stepped aside. Tait’s first album at the helm was 2010’s
BORN AGAIN. RESTART (2013, Sparrow
Records) is the group’s 16th studio album! The current roster is: Michael Tait (lead
vocals), Duncan Phillips (drums), Jody Davis (guitars, background vocals), and
Jeff Frankenstein (keys, background vocals).
‘That’s How You Change The World’ is a dandy techno dance
song with Pete Stewart on guitars. It
encourages us to truly make a difference: “It’s the kind words/A simple
smile/More than showing up/Going the extra mile/It’s giving everything/When
you’ve got nothing left/Sharing a little hope/With a single breath/That’s how
you change the world (2X)”. ‘Restart’
was written by Joshua Silverberg, Kipp Williams, Jonathan D. White, and Michael
Tait. It is another great techno dance
song. It testifies that God can redeem
even today: “Oh Lord, I’m a different man/You gave me a second chance/I was
lost/I was fallin’ apart/But You came along/You hit the restart/You, You, You,
hit the restart”.
Tony Lucido plays bass on ‘Love Like I Mean It’. On this song the group longs for a faith that
is more than just head knowledge: “I have good intentions/Don’t always turn
them into action/I speak love, it’s easy enough/But words are not what love is
made of/I wanna do more than that/Yeah, I gotta do more than that/I want you to
see it/And believe it”. ‘Live With
Abandon’ is a pretty pop song written by Joshua Silverberg, Kipp Williams, and
Jonathan D. White. It is the song of a
band that wants to partner with God: “I’ll drop everything and follow You/It’s
only Your hands I hold onto/There’s gotta be so much more to life than this/A
higher calling that I missed/I want my life to count, every breath.../I’m not
looking back/I’m done with that/Wanna give You all I have.../I wanna live with
abandon”.
‘Go Glow’ sounds like Peter Furler era Newsboys
musically. These lyrics reveal a desire
for a more Christ-like nature: “Let the old you fade away/You ignite and light
the day/Let the old you fade, old you fade/Old you fade away”. ‘That Home’ was penned by Juan Otero and Eric
Arjes. This ballad quiets things
down. It reflects with fondness on one’s
deceased mother: “Momma always had the music on/Sometimes loud, sometimes
soft/When I asked about her favorite song/She opened the Bible to the book of
Psalms/She always found a way to talk about grace”.
‘Disaster’ is a catchy pop song that portrays God as our
Great Physician and Healer: “I had to fall, had to fall apart/To find that
You/Love me even after/I am a disaster/Everything is shattered/On the floor/You
pick me up and hold me/God, You are the only/Remedy my heart’s been looking
for/You’re the cure”. ‘Fishers of Men’
finds the Newsboys rocking out! This one
encourages personal evangelism: “God, I’ve gotten good at being
comfortable/It’s time to leave my comfort zone/Cause You said/Go...Go, and I
will make you fishers of men/Go...Go, I don’t care who or where you’ve been/So
don’t you be afraid to show the world your faith/Cause you’re never alone/Just
Go...Go, and I will make you fishers of men”.
‘One Word’ was penned by Seth Mosley, Nick de Partee, and
Phillip LaRue. It reminds us of the
amazing power of our God: “At Your voice the blind begin to see/And the lame
can walk, the captives are set free/A hardened heart can finally start to
feel/Will You speak that same voice to me?.../With just one word/The stone
rolled away/With just one word/You conquered the grave/Cause when You speak/The
dead are raised/So here I am, on my face”.
‘Enemy’ is a moving song both musically and vocally. It is ultimately a song of surrender to God:
“Never thought You heard a word I was prayin’/I stood in the way/When I needed
to run to You/But I was too proud to say/Take away the blindness/Lead me
through the dark/Don’t let me fall apart/Save me from my bitterness/Show me who
I am/Make me who You want me to be”. ‘We
Believe’ features The World Outreach Church Worship Choir. This song is a powerful adult contemporary
declaration of faith: “We believe in God the Father/We believe in Jesus
Christ/We believe in the Holy Spirit/And He’s given us new life/We believe in
the crucifixion/We believe that He conquered death/We believe in the
resurrection/And He’s coming back again/We believe”.
The Deluxe Edition of RESTART includes five bonus
tracks! ‘Overflow’ is a pop/dance number
that finds the band very passionate about their faith: “The love that I’m
filled with, I can’t help but give it/I wanna see joy flood this world/Watch
all the nations/Return to their Savior/Bringing Heaven down to earth.../It’s
over the top/Your love never stops/Rushin’ through my heart/I can’t contain/I
get carried away/In all that You are”.
‘Man on Fire’ features another DC TALK vocalist, Kevin Max! It speaks of God’s transforming power: “Don’t
care-what people say/They stare/But I’m not ashamed/I used to act like
everybody told me/I tried to just fit in/But then I met my Savior and He showed
me/A new way to live.../God is a consuming fire/He burns away the dark
inside/He pulled my heart into the light, the light”. ‘God is Movin’’ is pop/rock with an
edge. Pete Stewart and Christopher
Stevens play guitars. This song reminds
us of the importance of being alert to the realities of the spiritual realm:
“I’m the king of complacent/Always waiting for the right time/Just a permanent
fixture/In the picture of a charmed life/I’ve been oblivious and unaware/That
there’s a war raging on out there/Between the good, the bad/Every day’s a
battle”.
Next up is a cover of ‘The Living Years’ penned by Michael
Rutherford and B.A. Robertson. Mike and
the Mechanics hit No 1 with this one in Australia, Canada, and Ireland, and it
hit No 1 on the U.S. Billboard Hot
100. The Newsboys version finds Michael
Tait, Chanel Campbell, Kevin Max, and Seth Mosley contributing vocals. It is written from the perspective of a son
mourning his late father and speaks of how generations often clash: “Crumpled
bits of paper/Filled with imperfect thoughts/Stilted conversations/I’m afraid
that’s all we’ve got/You say you just don’t see it/He says it’s perfect
sense/You just can’t get agreement/In this present tense/We all talk a
different language/Talking in defense/Say it loud, say it clear/You can listen
as well as you hear/It’s too late when we die/To admit we don’t see eye to
eye”. ‘Stronger’ is a worship song
written by Reuben Morgan and Fen Fielding.
It shares the Gospel message: “There is love that came for us/Humbled to
a sinner’s cross/You broke my shame and sinfulness/You rose again
victorious/Faithfulness none can deny/Through the storm and through the
fire/There is truth that sets me free/Jesus Christ lives in me”.
RESTART is a fascinating contemporary Christian pop
album. The vocals are strong and the
music is fresh, youthful, exuberant, and creative. The Newsboys are a band still unashamed to
share their faith with the world. They
want all to know that Jesus Christ is Lord!
Fans of the new Audio Adrenaline should give this Deluxe Edition of
RESTART a listen. I’m rating it
98%. For more info visit: www.newsboys.com and www.sparrowrecords.com.