Newsboys - In the Hands of God
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Free Music Notes for In the Hands of God
Free Music Review: Awesome CD! New style, same results
Hit: 5 Stars
This CD is great. I will miss Peter's vocals as he just has a distinct voice. 10 Tracks, I was hoping for more, but this CD does not disappoint. "No Grave" is hard hitting beats, with an awesome message. My favorite is "Lead me to the Cross"Free Music Review: Newsboys' latest CD
Hit: 5 Stars
The Newsboys' music keeps getting better & better! All of the songs are great on this CD, but especially "In the Hands of God", "Lead me to the Cross".Free Music Review: great cd, to short tho
Hit: 5 Stars
this is a really good cd, i just wished it had more songs on it.Free Music Review: Diverse offering, something for everyone
Hit: 4 Stars
I'm a latecomer to the Newsboys' franchise. Though the band has been pumping out tunes for over 20 years, I've jumped on the wagon just as long-time lead singer Peter Furler is stepping down from his role as lead singer. After five gold albums, sales exceeding six million units, and the title track "In the Hands of God" becoming the bands 25th No.1 single, In the Hands of God is being hailed by many as a culmination of a lengthy contribution to contemporary Christian music.
This release is also the last album featuring Furler as front man; he will be continuing with the group as a songwriter. Michael Tait - formerly of dc Talk - is taking up the mantle from here on out, and long-time fans who aren't able to make it to a live concert or festival to hear him singing in the lead can hear his backup vocals on the new disc.
Building upon the groups long-term momentum and loyal existing fan base, their fourteenth album arrived on the scene like a high-speed rocket, shooting to number one ranks on singles charts and Christian music charts, number one on iTunes in the Christian/Gospel category and in the top 30 on Billboard. Hailed as delivering the classic Newsboys sound, new listeners such as myself may find themselves wondering what exactly that sound is.
On my initial listen I was immediately struck by the distinct sound of an Australian-founded band. Like my first exposure to Midnight Oil, it took a while for my Canadian ears to adjust to and decipher Furler's slightly accented lyrics. By the third of fourth time through I was singing along. The sound itself is largely eclectic, and that in and of itself seems to be a marker for Newsboys albums. Ranging from classic rock through to electronic Brit-pop stylings and soaring symphonic songs of worship, the band serves up a little bit of everything.
Opening with "The Way We Roll" the band rocks its way through the hardest track on the disc, a musical introduction to their history, work and purpose declaring, "that's the way we roll, `cause we've been set free". Pointing to God as the sole progenitor of their music, sustainer, and motivator; this driving tune kicks things off before heading into a diverse range of songs that run the gamut of CCM.
There are a few misses on the disc, "No Grave" while haunting in melody fails to capture the imagination, "This Is Your Life" comes off as a platitude, and "The Upside" falls squarely within Brit-pop, a genre that leaves me cold. Though these tracks weren't my cup-of, the disc is diverse enough that there's something here for everyone.
"Glorious" is just that, pointing out our ever-present failings and the need to continue running into God's arms for His sustenance, for His love. Wreathed with a rich swirl of strings this soaring song will lead listeners into a great and deeper dependence upon recognizing their utter insufficiency. "In The Hands of God" is without doubt the most memorable track, featuring an insanely catchy, take-away pop melody, and rich spiritual message.
Demonstrating a sense of humor that pokes fun at onself, "My Friend Jesus" features punchy lyrics and the unusual premise of God's sanctifying work through a patience-trying call with a help-line that puts user on hold interminably. It's a fun, lighter piece with a simple chorus that works and brings a few chuckles each time I listen to it. "Lead Me To The Cross" begins with a simple piano and grows into a rousing Christ-centered apogee - strings included. "Dance" is another of the harder tracks that has Furler leaning towards speaking over singing, the staccato, rhythmic text phasing into chorus that leads into the boundary lands between pop and dance music, while the choppy body of the song is reminiscent of indie-rock.
The bands Australian background goes largely unfelt throughout the album - other than the subtle accent - but it does feature prominently in "RSL 1984", which feels like a voyeuristic look into a boys ongoing relationship with God. It seems filled with insider only references, and will likely be more appreciated by long-time Newsboys fans.
If you're new to this bastion of CCM, it's not too late to discover the widespread appeal of the band. Don't worry about playing catch-up, just jump in - the listening is fine; In The Hands of God is diverse enough to provide a few, new favourites for most everyone.
Free Music Review: Newsboys [In The Hands of God]
Hit: 4 Stars
To date, Newsboys have sold over 6 million albums, with five gold records and 25 No. 1 radio hits. As already announced on their website, "In the Hands of God "marks lead singer and founding member Peter Furler's final album as the band's lead vocalist and main songwriter. In March, the band announced the new vocalist will be former dc Talk singer Michael Tait. With both bands starting at the same time, Newsboys and dc Talk played over 100 shows together, so the change is a natural fit. Personally, as a collector of Christian music starting in the mid-1990's, I have every album by both bands and will be interested in the creative direction of the band. Newsboys have truly been a pioneer in Christian music.
The band has undergone many changes from the mid-1990's to now, most notably with original lead singer John James being replaced by original drummer Peter Furler as lead singer starting with 1998's "Step Up To The Microphone", which is one of my top 3 albums by Newsboys. Then, bassist Phil Joel left the band before 2006's "Go", which is also one of my top 3 albums by Newsboys, along with 2002's "Thrive", which is my favorite album by Newsboys. Guitarist Jody Davis left Newsboys after "Thrive" and was replaced by Bryan Olesen, now the lead singer of the band VOTA and was then replaced by Paul Colman for "Go" before Jody Davis returned for "In The Hands Of God".
My best description of "In The Hands Of God" is that to me it is the disappointing follow-up to "Go" in the same way I was disappointed in "Devotion" compared to "Adoration". "The Way We Roll" is the first song and has a nice rock beat, but like most of the songs including "This Is Your Life", "The Upside" and "Dance", the lyrics and music didn't engage me the same as "Go". There are some highlights to the album, especially the title track "In The Hands Of God", overall similar to hit song "Something Beautiful". I also really like "No Grave", sung in the person of Jesus and having a musical style and chorus that reminded me of "I'm Not Alright" by Sanctus Real. "Glorious" is another Newsboys original worship song but doesn't match the intensity of "In Wonder" in my opinion. "Lead Me To The Cross" is another Newsboys cover song of the original by Hillsong United, but didn't impress me as much as "I Am Free". "My Friend Jesus" and "RSL 1984" are interesting lyrically and give glimpses of Peter Furler's personal walk, but didn't grab me musically.
For me, the highlights are "No Grave" and "In The Hands Of God", however neither song makes my collection of my all-time top 10 songs by Newsboys. Perhaps Newsboys set the bar so high with "Go" I was due for a letdown. Fans will still enjoy the highlights, however I was disappointed overall.