Sounds like … worshipful pop/rock that bears the too obvious influences of U2, Coldplay, and Delirious.
At a glance … Devotion is an improvement from the mixed bag of Adoration, but it's not the Newsboys that many longtime fans remember, nor is it the full realization of what Newsboys could be as a worship band.
I've got some bad news for many longtime Newsboys fans. Remember when this was a fun band, with witty-yet-insightful songs of faith like "Shine" and "Take Me to Your Leader?" Remember when they were the premier live band in Christian rock with spinning drum kits and inflatable concert domes? They're things of the past.
Not to say we won't still hear some of the oldies in concert, or enjoy the visual wonder of a mega confetti machine amplifying the image of "Million Pieces." But Newsboys is a changed band, and it's not just because of the departure of longtime guitarist Jody Davis, who left to devote more time to family. Nor is it only because Adoration, the band's first full-fledged worship album, was the fifth to go Gold, leading to their most successful tour ever in support of it. It's really a combination of these two things. Frontman Peter Furler has seen more lives changed as a result of the worshipful focus, and the time on the road has caused him to reconsider his relationships with God and family.
So we continue into the new worshipful phase of the Newsboys' career, reflecting the band's new commitment to ministry—fulfilling God's plans, restoring relationships, promoting biblical literacy, and rallying people to fight the African AIDS crisis. Adoration was the start. Devotion involves a deeper response—commitment. The good thing about the Newsboys' success with worship is that it's challenged them to be more creative with the genre. They've got a ways to go before fully tapping their artistic potential in this, but Devotion is at least a step in the right direction. It's not the hodgepodge of live tracks, cover songs, and so-so originals heard on the previous recording. Self-produced by Furler and featuring additional guitar work from Stu G. (Delirious) and John Ellis (Tree63), Devotion features seven original songs co-written with Steve Taylor....
Continue Reading at this Christian Music Review
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment