Customer Reviews

Born Again

5 star:		(37)
4 star:		(9)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

Genesis, Van Halen, newsboys. They all did it. Many legendary acts have introduced a new lead singer amidst their career without missing a beat. So when newsboys announced that dc Talk vocalist Michael Tait would take over for exiting front man Peter Furler--after a natural period of surprise--the band and its fans alike began to relish the positives and possibilities of this fresh start. Some have forgotten that newsboys already changed lead vocalists from original singer John James after Take Me To Your Leader to Peter Furler starting with Step Up To The Microphone. This new album opens with "Born Again," the amazing title track which reflects how newsboys became a band completely renewed. "We've all believed in lies at some point. I had some prodigal years in the past," says Michael Tait. "But I hope the song encourages others to make the same decision I did: "I'm giving Him the best of everything that's left of the life inside this man / I've been born again." Crowd-rallying "One Shot" is where Michael's childhood dreams ("All I wanted was to do the rock thing") meet the newfound joys of being center stage with newsboys, helping spread their kingdom cause even further ("We say there's one way / when push comes to shove we're gonna sing of His love").

The musical hooks and Michael's stellar vocals have raised the bar on what to expect from newsboys. From someone who has collected their entire catalog, this is without a doubt their best album in my opinion. My top 3 albums by newsboys are Born Again (2010), Go (2006), and Going Public (1994). "When The Boys Light Up" is destined to be the album's most celebrated track. A biographical anthem of reignited belief and purpose penned with longtime newsboys collaborator Steve Taylor, it puts every transitional issue anyone might raise to rest. "I was feeling all overcome / Had a faith gone dim and then some / Got a call from a band of brothers . . . / All the doubters I heard them say "now the band's gonna fade away" / But the `boys are back for a second act / No excuses. We're lighting fuses." "Running to You" emphasize the change that must occur in a relationship with God: "More than just emotion, my broken heart has chosen / Jesus, I'm running to You."

What worked for both Go and Going Public is in full effect on Born Again which is that this is a complete album with no filler songs. "Be Still" is an amazing album track from Going Public and "The Mission" is an example from Go. As great as the "hits" are from Born Again, the songs "Impossible," "Build Us Back" and "On Your Knees" are stand-out album tracks that really complete this album in my opinion. The themes are all relatable and I keep coming back to the album tracks which are rich both lyrically and vocally. As if the 10 new songs aren't enough to make this a stand-out album, Born Again also includes 2 surprises at the end, "Mighty To Save" and "Jesus Freak." As arguably the most influential songs of the 1990's ("Jesus Freak") and the 2000's ("Mighty To Save"), what a great way to cap off this excellent album.

CLOSING THOUGHTS
Born Again is the HOTTEST album of the year! In comparing top albums this year from former dcTalk members Michael Tait versus TobyMac, advantage Tait and newsboys. If you are looking for musical hooks and lyrics that are not ashamed of the Gospel, you need to get Born Again, hands-down the best album ever by this legendary band. Newsboys already have over 20 #1 hit songs. I expect a few more #1 hit songs from this incredible album, one of my top 5 albums of 2010. "Born Again," "One Shot," "Impossible," "Build Us Back" and "On Your Knees" are among my favorite songs ever by this incredible band.

I'm feeling the same as many of the reviewers. I first decided the last Newboys album with Peter Furler would be the last I'd buy as I feel Peter Furler's songwriting, production and vocals captured what I liked most about Newsboys. I ended up buying the album BORN AGAIN today out of curiosity for a good price but after listening to it, I'm disappointed. First, I listened to DC Talk but reluctant to admit that Tait was my least favorite vocal out of the group and now he's upfront on Newsboys. Secondly, I think the group is too eager to embrace DC Talk with the recording of 'Jesus Freak'. I'm not familiar with Tait's past solo recordings after DC Talk but I know that what I heard on this new album makes me forget it is the Newsboys. I loved the last album 'In The Hands Of God' with Peter Furler and I've decided to stop my Newsboys collection there. If Peter Furler puts out any solo albums, I'm sure to follow.

Yes, Tait really brings a special kind of diversity to the Newsboys sound. Like Toby Mac & Kevin Max, he has successfully extended his music career beyond DC Talk. With 20 quality tracks at a currently great price, this is an *excellent* way to experience the new direction.

A few highlights...

"Born Again"- As soon as I saw the video for this on youtube I was hooked. This band has been involved with building projects in Baja Mexico, and it fits *greatly* with the music video and song. Beautiful place; beautiful people.

"Save Your Life"- Takes the place of "Impossible" on the 1st release. Excellent.

"Miracles"- Tait rocks it here. I can see why they created a video and remix.

"Jesus Freak"- A nice blast from the past with a twist. I like it.

"Way Beyond Myself"- 2 solid versions, original and Flatline remix. It's the very deserving remix contest winner.

... And I can *easily* add more to this list. I hesitated to get the 1st Born Again CD- this newer edition is fantastic! While Peter will always be the quintessential Newsboys leader to me, Tait brings a fresh, new vocal dynamic that I believe will likely increase the appeal & impact of the Newsboys' message over time. It's a radical change, to be sure, but I'm thinking it works! And it's not like Peter can never make another Newsboys appearance. If Duran Duran can return, and Mick Jagger is still performing, I'm thinking *anything's* possible with Peter. :) We'll see!

P.S. And then this... Peter's 1st individual single is available this month, with his 1st full solo CD, On Fire, available June 21st. It's new directions all around for Peter and the Newsboys. See comments for details...

To explain my title, I did not in any way mean that they needed salvation; I have always been impressed with the lyrical quality of the Newsboys. What I mean is that the band seemed to be stuck in the 90's and was becoming increasing irrelevant in today's Christian music culture. Michael Tate has brought the Newsboys to the 21st century with a new sound that, quite frankly, I love a lot more than the stereotypical 90's praise that the boys have been churning out for a while. Below is a review of each individual track on the Born Again STANDARD EDITION cd, or you can just skip to the bottom for a general review:

1. Born Again - 9.5/10 - The title track, and also the first single from the CD, is nearly flawless, combining a catchy pop-rock sound with good lyrics. I can't honestly say they're GREAT lyrics, I've heard more explicitly spiritual ones before, even on this album, but the message is still evident and makes for a great first track.
2. One Shot - 10/10 - One of my favorite tracks off of this CD, One Shot proclaims that believers should always proclaim their love for God, no matter what the circumstance. As many have pointed out, after a while this song will become dated due to its references to Facebook and Twitter ["Things change, just like the Twitter that you update, or the Facebook status on your front page, but there's no comment you can leave to change my mind..."].
3. Way Beyond Myself - 9/10 - A little more pop than rock, this song sounds gorgeous but leaves a little to be desired lyrically. Although dripping with religious metaphor, you'll have to listen closely to hear the actual reference to the Lord in the chorus.
4. Impossible - 6/10 - The first slower song of the CD, the sound is okay but while the lyrics are empowering, a unbeliever might miss the Christianese in them.
5. When the Boys Light Up - 9/10 - A fun pop rock anthem, this songs is reminiscent of a 90's boy band sound, but still expertly produced and lyrically sound, although still mostly metaphoric.
6. Build Us Back - 9/10 - Perhaps my favorite worship song on the album, Build Us Back is a simple yet elegant song about relying on God to build us up when we endure hardships in life.
7. Escape - 7/10 - Bringing us back to the Newsboys' new rock element with a bang, Escape is a really fun rock song with really generic lyrics. While it sounds cool, it almost seems like a distraction from the fact the lyrics in this song have almost no substance to them.
8. Miracles - 10/10 - Another one of my favorites from this album, this track is a powerful rock anthem that is another great testament to the impeccable production values instilled in this album. Some Newsboys fans will still be disappointed with the lack of an actual reference to God, but He is still quite evident in the lyrics ["You got me up from down, faith has shattered my doubt, I believe in miracles"].
9. Running to You - 10/10 - Another great worship song with very explicitly Christian lyrics ["More than just emotion, my broken heart has chosen, Jesus I'm running to You..."]
10. On Your Knees - 9/10 - The final original song on Born Again, On Your Knees examines the journey of a young woman searching for salvation. It never tells of the woman actually accepting Christ, but it does lay out a fairly clear salvation message.
11. Mighty to Save - 8/10 - The only reason this gets as low as a rating of 8 from me is because the Hillsong original has been redone so many times, so many ways that it's just starting to get old. The Newsboys actually did a fantastic job with this upbeat worship track, just wish they could have chosen something a little more unique.
12. Jesus Freak w/ KJ-52 - 10/10 - Many people have scrutinized this track unduly simply because it's a remake of the much-revered dcTalk hit. Here's my version: I actually like the flow of this version better than the original. When comparing the two songs, there are some aspects that sound better than the original, while others can completely ruin the song for diehard dcTalk fans. I will admit that KJ-52's rendition of TobyMac's raps leave something to be desired from the original, but at the same time it is a fresh take which is delivered at the top of his game. It simply depends on your perspective.

Overall, I really like the "reborn" Newsboys. More rock, less 90's pop. Unfortunately, the lyrics did suffer some on this album, probably in an effort to appeal to a wider audience, although the message of Christ is still clearly communicated if you take the album as a whole. One thing that struck me when I was listening to the album's fourth track was that Michael Tate's voice seems to be better suited for rock than contemporary worship. No one can deny that Tate is very talented and has a unique voice, but on the approximately 50% of the album that's targeted toward the CCM crowd, his voice seems to be a bit out of place, a bit too powerful, if you will, for the genre. I wonder if the Newsboys' next album will be more focused on the rock aspect of their rebirth.

(Note: This is a review of the "Deluxe Edition" of the album available on iTunes, which has four extra tracks. Some of the songs mentioned will be from that version of the album.)

When Peter Furler announced his departure from the Newsboys, fans speculated who would take over as frontman for the popular CCM band. The choice: none other than Michael Tait, former member of the bands D.C. Talk and Tait! The choice proved to be a perfect one. Although the sound for Newsboys is a little different with "Born Again," they still provide an awesome batch of songs in praise of our Creator! The standouts on the album include the Title Track, "On Your Knees," their cover of the songs "Mighty to Save" and "Jesus Freak," and the powerful ballads "Give Me to You" and "I'll Be." While there are a couple of missteps, "Born Again" is a terrific album, and proof that even a change in frontman won't stop this band from creating powerful songs for God! A terrific CCM album that I cannot help but highly recommend!
Grade: A-

Nine new songs or edits are worth the purchase. I never have understood why bands release material with the same songs from the prior CD, but with nine new or re-mixed songs, this will fill the Newsboys appetite until more new music is released. Also, for any Newsboys fan, you will be glad to know that Peter Furler, prior frontman, has just released his first solo effort - On Fire, and it is really good. Check both of these out! Great music! MAD

It's good, but it just doesn't seem to match exactly--it's not less "chocolatey," though, nor bad-tasting (as those two elements would be when mixed together). It would just take a couple of "swigs" to adjust the expectations with the results. I love the Newsboys of their musical morphs over the last 20+ years; I loved dc Talk in their prime. I loved the two groups' distinction during their great runs in the 90s--you weren't going to confuse who was who, even if you liked both. When I heard that Michael was going on the road with the Newsboys, I figured his voice would match very nicely with their catalog and would be a good fit. So I was quite excited to hear how it all would work in the studio and bought the new album on Tuesday.

All of that being said, I didn't *love* this CD and feel bad for not doing so. On paper, everything should work, and they do sound great; but they don't sound like the Newsboys. I used this analogy to a friend, when describing the album: it's like two cousins married and recorded an album.... Or something. If you were hearing them for the first time--no knowledge of Peter Furler or Toby & Kevin--you'd probably rave about how "adorable" their "kid" is. If you think about it too long, though, it seems odd. Maybe I'm just being shallow and am hung up on the name of the group. Maybe I am just going to have a difficult time moving on from Furler's so distinctive sound as lead singer. Maybe I just got a bit nostalgic to hear the old dc Talk back in the game.

But life moves on and so do the Newsboys and their music. I have enjoyed listening several times since Tuesday but have not been blown away. The songs are all good--no fillers or fluff--but I wasn't "wowed" by any one of them (for reference, "Lead Me To The Cross" and "No Grave" blew me away from the last CD, "Something Beautiful" and "In Wonder" from _Go_, and "Stay Strong" from their live concert disc). "Born Again," "Running To You," "When The Boys Light Up" and "Build Us Back" stood out a bit from the pack. I thought at least three of the tracks really echoed themselves musically, especially "Born Again" and "One Shot." I was really excited to hear them do "Mighty To Save," but I was a bit underwhelmed--maybe just too high expectations. I was also skeptical when I saw "Jesus Freak" as a title--they would have been far better just to leave that association alone and wait for some future anniversary/"best of" compilation to revisit the dc Talk catalog--just don't go there yet. A reviewer on iTunes suggested that both tracks #11 and 12 be bonus tracks on a digital version, which sounds about right to me.

Bottom Line: Good, not great. They really piqued my curiosity with the addition of Michael, and I bet it will ultimately work: ten years from now (or even five), I might not remember Peter Furler or that Michael sang with dc Talk....

Newsboys was one of the first Christian bands I listened to -- over 20 years ago. They are long overdue for an overhaul. This is the life they needed to continue to make good music. And they certainly pulled through. This is a GREAT album. But don't be fooled into thinking it's like any other Newsboys CD you've ever heard. You can definitely hear the Tait twist on this album. While Tait was never my favorite solo artist, he was great with DC Talk. He is once again great with the backing of a new band. And, really, you must think of it as a new band. Keeping the Newsboys name was simply for marketing a well-known product. But this is not the Newsboys as we've known them . . . thankfully.

I heard the song "Born Again" on the radio and wrote down the name of this group. When I got home, I listened to their album sampler and decided I needed the whole album. Our family has been listening to this album for the past two weeks and LOVE IT. I downloaded the first 4 songs onto my MP3 player so that I could be inspired while I ran for my workout. This album has something for everyone in the family and has been a real inspiration to listen to; especially the song "When the boys light up". I highly recommend this album.

I got this album as a gift for my 17-year-old son. I wasn't sure if he'd like it as much as the "old" Newsboys, since Peter is no longer with the group. But my son said he likes the newer songs even better and doesn't mind the switch to a new lead singer. He still thinks they should all be "Aussies" but is willing to overlook the discrepancy since the songs are great. :)