The GRAMMY®-nominated and Dove Award-winning band newsboys has achieved what few artists have in their lifetime. They have sold over 6.5 million units, garnered five Gold albums and 26 #1 hits, and are renown for their heart-pumping live shows. Now, newsboys are more eager than ever to release their 15th studio project, BORN AGAIN, on July 13th courtesy of Inpop records.
When longtime members Jody Davis (guitar), Jeff Frankenstein (keys) and Duncan Phillips (drums) welcomed the vocal strengths, writing talents and boundless energy of Michael Tait (of the platinum-selling trio dc Talk) to the band in 2009, newsboys and their fans began to relish the positives and possibilities of this brand new start. Tait immediately, and easily, became part of the unique and tight newsboys unit. With headlining gigs across the U.S. and Canada along with a brand new stage show, the band is embarking on a momentous year with BORN AGAIN, a project chock full of fresh and innovative tunes. With songs penned by The Write Bros* (who also produced the project), newsboys, Mark Stuart, Steve Taylor and more, BORN AGAIN lives out its title with songs such as “When The Boys Light Up” and "Way Beyond Myself," as well as a new recording of "Jesus Freak" featuring KJ-52.
The project has already garnered its first No. 1 radio single with "Born Again," which is also one of the top-selling songs on iTunes' Singles chart. “Born Again” is also the project’s first music video and the perfect match to share footage of newsboys building houses in Mexico’s poverty stricken Baja Peninsula. The video, which can be viewed on the homepage of www.newsboys.com, has been seen by thousands thanks to its airing during the band’s past shows and is already impacting concertgoers on how they can do something for those less fortunate. For years now the band has been serving the people of this Third World setting by constructing hundreds of homes, and plans are set for more than 2,000 fans to join newsboys this summer for ministry efforts.
Different Style, Better Music| Posted July 28, 2010
Having slowly lost interest in the Newsboys since Stepping Up to the Microphone, I had my doubts with Peter Fuller leaving the band and Michael Tate stepping into the lead role. I have his first solo-album but I was not fully impressed with his stuff. Plus I didn't think he would mix well with more of a Newsboys style.
However, this album is definitely worth the price with solid tracks cover-to-cover (hard to find albums these days like that). There rendition of Jesus Freak is true to form and hopefully will bring that song into the forefront of everyone's mind again. The album has a DC Talk rock kind of feel which is great. I think it helped the band by going outside to other writers for the music this time.
This is not the Newsboys!| Posted July 16, 2010
This is the best the Newsboys have ever been ... its like they have truly been born again. New sound, new vibe, new look ... wow, they are edgy. Its a good thing :)
Newsboys - Born Again| Posted July 13, 2010
So...after all the hype, and worry about whether or not Michael Tait would "ruin" the Newsboys reputation, the first album by the band in the new era has finally been released.
The album itself is good and solid, and the first single "Born Again" has received stellar reception at radio.
Stand-out good tracks are:
Born Again
When The Boys Light Up
Escape
Miracles
The rest are decent, radio friendly tracks that no doubt will be popular singles. The only things that bugs me, is that they had to cover "Mighty To Save"...I kinda thought we had moved past the point of re-hashing that song after Seventh Day Slumber made a mess of it. Then, someone had the idea of throwing "Jesus Freak" into it as well! All the DC Talk fans are going to scream foul since the familiar sounds of Tobymac and Kevin Max are gone and replaced with Canadian rapper Manafest. Good song, but Tait and the 'Boys didn't do enough to make it really unique.
Overall, 4 stars because the Newsboys actually did a good job with Tait at the helm, but I take off a star because the world is tired of artists re-doing the same old Hillsong mega-hits.
Going Public with the Jesus Freak| Posted July 13, 2010
It is a law of nature that if a being does not adapt to the conditions around it, death is inevitable. The same can be said in the music industry. While constant tinkering with musical styles is not a prelude to success, most successful bands embrace elements of various musical fads as necessary to remain in the forefront, and discard them when they become obsolete. A band to tightly tied to a passing fad usually dies with the fad. In the CCM world, the most glaring example of successful adaptation is Petra, which in its original lifespan of 1972-2005 embraced everything from rockabilly, bluegrass, pop, electronica, and even hard rock, and now in 2010, after a five year hiatus, will return to its most beloved lineup of Bob Hartman, Greg X. Volz, Louie Weaver, and John Slick and Mark Kelly as Classic Petra.
Born Again, the Latest release by The Newsboys, is notice that they have no intention of passing away any time soon. It is a 12 song transformation.
Born Again
One Shot
Way Beyond Myself
Impossible
When The Boys Light Up
Build Us Back
Escape
Miracles
Running to You
On Your Knees
Mighty to Save
Jesus Freak
The first studio release since the ascension of former DC Talk frontman Michael Tait to lead vocalist, most astute listeners will say that the Newsboys now sound like Tait or DC Talk. IMHO this is not a bad thing. The DC Talk vibe most clearly exists on the title track and When the Boys Light Up. Classic Newsboys songs are Miracles and the two worship cuts Build us Back and Running to You. They even veer into the techno/dance arena with Way beyond Myself. Far from a disjointed mess, the various styles are expertly blended into a new and improved Newsboys.
The album closes with two cover songs. A rock version of Hillsong's Mighty to Save is sure to get your blood pumping and (don't tell me you're surprised), a new version of Jesus Freak, with KJ-52 stepping into the Toby Mac role. I think it holds up well to the original.
Great Album| Posted July 10, 2010
This is one of the greatest albums they have made. Their songs are so upbeat and inspiring and yet full of love for God. I really liked Born Again. Thanks NewsBoys.
The boys light up...| Posted July 09, 2010
Finally, with the latest reincarnation of the award winning and ever changing Newsboys has offered up their most complete album since 1996's 'Take me to your leader' graced the charts.
With the Departure of the long time front man Peter Furler it gave the band the chance to really find itself and rediscover the sound that is going to drive them to the next part of the bands amazing journey. The problem would have been who has a personality big enough to fill the shoes of someone like Peter... and the answer is long time Newsboy friend and Christian music pioneer Michael Tait (formerly DC Talk/Tait)... to be honest when I heard this was going to be the new lead singer I was thinking that it was only a gimmick and would be short lived... I have to admit, I was wrong - it turns out that this was a stroke of genius. Taits voice has meant that the NB's have been able to bring an album that takes in all aspects of the rock spectrum... when it's not rockin' it has a nice pop feel, when it's not poppin' it's dancing... it really is very very well done and at no point are you thinking that this isn't how NB's should be? It just feels right!
NB's have added more Australian influence to this album than we have heard for a while with a cover of Aussie Worshippers Hillsong's 'Mighty to save' and 'the boys light up' is heavily influence by Aussie band Australian Crawl with NB's taking the main chorus of the Aussie crawl song 'boys light up' to flavor their own song.
How else could the blend of the two biggest Christian rock groups of the past two decades end... with DC Talks 'Jesus Freak' of course (with KJ-52 adding the rap flavours)... and it sounds good.
So this album is the best of Newsboys and DC Talk past and present... and it certainly looks good for NB's future.
This album really does show just how well the NB's really do light up... and SHINE!
great| Posted July 08, 2010
this cd is the best love the new songs but the older on are great to this a band that knows what they are doing and they do it well love the song born again it has so much meaning that i can't help but wanting to sing a long and be born again
simply... new and fresh!| Posted July 07, 2010
BEAUTIFUL, this is the word that comes to my mind when I've heard Born Again for the first time! Some energic sounds, so rocking, and also some sweet balades... you juste HAVE TO BUY this album now! Music is energic and hi-quality, and the voice of the new singer is realy great with the style of the band!
Peaks and Valleys| Posted July 07, 2010
The hardest part about listening to the album is trying to meld your expectations of the Newsboys with the Expectations of Michael Tait. Before the album, it was like comparing apples to oranges. In this album, we sort of have this apple-orange hybrid.
The album all in all is OK. Not great, but not horrible either.
Peaks:
The hit song "Born Again" definitely is a rockin' song, and there are other songs that sound more Newsboys-esque. I'm more of a rocker, so I like the songs where they rock it out. I was hopin' Newboys would go back to the "Take Me To Your Leader" and "Going Public" days eventually, and with Peter Furler now gone, this is about as close as you're gonna' get.
Valleys:
Why, oh why, Mr. Tait did you have to redo Jesus Freak? Don't get me wrong, I'm a KJ-52 fan, and he did pretty well, but there is just no way without TobyMac and K-Max is this song EVER going to sound right. Outside of that, there are some slower spots which sound ok, but again, I'm a rocker, so to me, they're a valley. Perhaps you'll enjoy them more.
Overall Impression: I personally don't feel the hybrid worked very well. It was two distinct sounds that didn't mesh well together. I've always felt Tait needs to stick to the rock genre. It's where he thrives. As for the Newsboys? I wonder if John James would consider a comeback...
Boys Are Back - 2nd ACT| Posted July 07, 2010
If you aren't moving your body and ready to ignite while listening to this album, you're missing the best album of the year so far. Mixing Tait and Newsboys together is genius. The years of experience that the boys of Newsboys and Tait bring to the table is a bomb ready to explode and that comes across very clearly in this album. There's a ton of talent and Jesus filling this album.
We are sinners on this world that are Born Again through Jesus Christ and this album is a great encouragement for every believer and those looking into this relationship with Christ.
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