Customer Reviews

Thrive

5 star:		(59)
4 star:		(13)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I never heard of the Newsboys until like three months ago (4/02) when I was searching through new bands to listen to when I heard "Joy" by the Newsboys. Good song and I decided to look for more stuff by them. I eventually stumbled onto their website and heard the smash, It Is You, probably one of the best songs I have heard in a while. I was never into Christian music but this song was amazingly beautiful and passionate. Yes, I wanted more.
So I bought Thrive, put it in my CD player and haven't stopped listening to it since. Every single one of these songs is catchy, enjoyable and unstoppable. There are not many albums out there where you can like every song on the album but this is definitely one of them. If you are not a Newsboys fan, you need to get with the program because this is the album of the year. Ranges from the rockin and snarly pop (Giving It Over and Fad Of The Land) to the peppy and free (Million Pieces and Rescue) to the passionate and goosebump-giving (Thrive, It Is You and Lord I Don't Know) to the just plain fun and strange (Live In Stereo, Cornelius and John Woo). The lyrics were just right, the melodies are awesome and this is my new Fleetwood Mac's Rumours and U2's The Joshua Tree (my two favorite albums of all time). How can you compare to that?

As a big Newsboys fan, I have been eagerly awaiting the release of this album. The band comes through, big time, with a CD chock full of great music.

The artistic core of the album is tracks 4-7:
Thrive (the title track), a beautiful and melodic tune with wonderful lyics (the best lyics on the album in my opinion)
Rescue, a lively, upbeat pop song that (like all great songs) sticks in your head and sort of becomes the soundtrack for you life for a few months. (It's my favorite cut on the album, really)
It is You- pure, joyous worship
Cornelius- an edgy rock song with the serious but somewhat offbeat lyrics the 'boys are known for.

Not to say the other songs aren't good (they are), but these four are EXCELLENT and represent the varied musical styles that make this band so much fun to listen to. Every track is a worthy effort, and I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys music in the rock-and-roll tradition, Christain or not.

This CD is compelling in the realm of Christian rock. Peter Furler has outdone himself in lyrics and music. His partnership with Steve Taylor continues to bear fruit, and success.

I saw the Newsboys on their "Thrive" tour, and lest you think they can't do this live - they were amazing! Their message is authentic, and honest.

"It Is You" is my favorite track from the album. It will keep you singing for hours. It is one of those songs that does not leave you.

Before I begin a song-by-song description of the record, I would like to say that THIS IS THE BEST ALBUM ON PLANET EARTH AND THERE IS NO WAY THAT YOU CAN PROVE ME WRONG!!!!!
Now, on with the review.

1.) "Giving it Over" A great rock song with meaningful lyrics.

2.) "Live in Stereo" Also a great rock song, yet the lyrics are confusing, alot like "Shine."

3.) "Million Pieces", 4.) "Thrive", 5.) "Rescue" All in the same genre. All great pop songs with a great meaning.

6.) "It Is You" May very well be the best Christian song ever created. A huge sucess.

7.) "Cornelius" Sounds like it could be on "Take Me To Your Leader"

8.) "Fad Of The Land" See: "Cornelius"

9.) "John Woo" A different style of music displayed by the 'Boys. A great song.

10.) "Lord, I Don't Know" Maybe this song was created to hush all of the people who don't think that the Newsboys
don't play enough worship. It's pretty good.

To close this review, I'd like to say:

THERE IS NO POSSIBLE WAY THAT YOU CAN RATE THIS ALBUM AVERAGE!!! IT ROCKS!!! ADD IT TO YOUR COLLECTION TODAY!!!

This is a great cd for any music fan and it will be greatly appriciated by hard core newsboys fans as they return to the style of albums like take me leader and step up to the microphone with edgy pop and rock combos. This cd incorperates everything a christian music fan would want, with hard rock tracks like "Cornelius" "Giving it Over" "Live in Stereo" and "Fad of the Land". It also has worship with tracks "Thrive" "Million Pieces" and "Lord I don't Know".
This cd also has good promise in having some secular hits because you can hear hints of other bands in their music such as Smash Mouth, Lenny Kravitz, and U2. I recommend this album to any rock fan.

This cd was the best ever made! The hit cd of the year in my house! The Newsboys really did it this time. The range in amazing too. the music is hard rock to soft rock! The best songs are "Thrive", "Cornelius" and "John Woo." This cd is my favorite ever in any genre, band or cd! Worth 6 stars! A definite buy!

In 1998, Newsboys released what critics were calling one of the best albums of the year, Step Up to the Microphone. Then in '99, they released what was easily the most disappointing album of the year, Love Liberty Disco. In 2001, Newsboys released Shine: The Hits with 4 new songs that were easily some of the best Newsboys songs ever written, showing the boys still have what it takes. Now, with Steve Taylor back in the production seat and some major songwriting responsibilites, the boys from downunder are back with Thrive, which is easily one of their best albums to date. Newsboys take some of their trademark old sounds (courtesy of Steve Taylor) and meet them in the middle with some of the current sounds. The equation, while not exactly ideal, turns out to be one of great possibilites. Tunes like "Live in Stereo" and "Cornelius" mix Taylor's unequivocal lyrics with catchy tunes that the band is known to pour out. "Million Peices" and "Fad of the Land" showcase extremely catchy hooks. Listening to this album, it's no wonder why the Newsboys are one of Christian music's most beloved bands. "Lord (I Don't Know)" and "It Is You" show both the contemplative and worshipful all on the same album. With Thrive, the boys manage to create one of the fine moments in their career. Mixing fine, intricate melodies with introspective lyrics, the Newsboys who they are at the top of their game with Thrive.

Far and away the greatest album the Newsboys put out. No other of their albums came close to the sound they perfected here. It's hard to explain, but there's a definite edge, not really grunge, not really punk--maybe something indie, dance, or European, but the pop-sensibility is there too, with a dose of techno (plus some weird rock/hip-hop fusion on John Woo and bawdy blues-iness on Giving It Over). Whatever it is, it works, and it transports you and gets inside your soul with its catchiness and its cleverness and its beauty. This was the height of the Newsboys' career as far as I am concerned, and while their stuff after was really sharp and well-produced, and just as addictive as anything they'd ever done, it lacked the punch and vigor of Thrive. A true masterpiece.

First of all, there are many great and wonderful Christian artists: Michael W. Smith, Amy Grant, Third Day, Steven Curtis Chapman, Chris Tomlin, Matt Redman, and Mercyme. But this album has the variety of songs that make it easy to listen to again and again. I have to admit, there's a LOT of 80s style sounds in here (maybe that's another reason I like it so much). This would be a great album to share with others who might not already listen to Christian music--to show them how good it can be. "Living in Stereo" sounds like a mix between an old Stray Cats song and something off the Valley Girl soundtrack--WHICH ISN'T A BAD THING, really! My personal favorites are "A Million Pieces" and "Thrive," two great songs about turning your cares over to Him and how alive we feel when we are close to Him. "It is You" is an awesome worship song with a strong anthemic chorus. "Cornelius" is grand--"some get christened with a righteous-sounding name." ALL TEN SONGS are worthy of this album. I have to agree with another reviewer, this is like U2's The Joshua Tree in stature. If you don't enjoy this album, then what could you POSSIBLY enjoy listening to?

From the opening track's gutty guitars, through the whistle-track on "Live In Stereo", to the catchy "Million Pieces", into the lush thought-provoking "Thrive" and glorious praise of "It Is You", (and on through every inch of every track,) The Newsboys are having some SERIOUS FUN again!

This intensely personal project is brimming with the musical joy and enthusiasm of the 'Boys earlier albums. The tuneful variety in music style is refreshing and will appeal to a wide palate. Some of the "hooks" had me humming along after only one listen! This album also regains the band's lyrical fervor, exploring a range of challenges and triumphs in the Newsboys' faith walk.

This album could have been entitled "SHINE 2", marking another collection of greatest hits. You can rest assured The Newsboys used their extra time with the pen and in the studio wisely, as everything that makes this band great is showcased in "Thrive".