Fair Trade Services
Release Date: March 1st 2019
Reviewed by: Jonathan Andre
Newsboys UNITED – Symphony (Single) (iTunes/Amazon mp3)
Track Listing:
- Symphony
It’s no stranger to people who are a fan of music in general, that the Newsboys, a band that originated in Australia and that are now global impacting around the world with their catchy pop-rock anthems that inspire hope and encouragement in many who hear the music (myself included); are going through yet another reshuffle and transition. As you can read about it all in my most recent review of Newsboys’ first single in around 2 years, ‘Greatness Of Our God’; what I can say about this new supergroup aptly and most appropriately called Newsboys UNITED, is that both Peter and Phil add a great nostalgia feel and dynamic to an already powerful and emotive group, one that has, I reckon, only risen in popularity since Michael Tait took the lead vocal helm when Peter stepped away from the band in 2009. And so a few weeks after ‘Greatness Of Our God’, a song that is a most definite shoe-in on the WOW Hits 2020 compilation come the release later on during the year; we see yet another offering from this new-look Newsboys- ‘Symphony’, a song that, along with ‘Greatness of Our God’, is on their brand new album titled, fittingly and maybe even ironically UNITED, releasing in May 2019.
So does ‘Symphony’ still have that Newsboys flair of old? Most definitely. A song that is as worshipful as it is hopeful, encouraging and at times reminding us that old and new can coexist together; both Michael and Peter deliver vocals that are a great reminder of what it means to bring together two very distinct and pivotal eras in the history of the band, and collide them together, and not only make them work, but work well! The song itself is as biblical as they come- the band discloses a theme of us living our lives as if a symphony is ejecting out of us and permeating whomever we meet. A symphony, by definition, is one of a big and grandiose anthem, a literal musical piece that evoke feelings of passion and hope, of restoration and renewal, that when one listens to a symphony piece, we can’t help but feel inspired and called to action- how one such style of a musical layered composition can undertake and bring to the fore such feelings of action is still considered a mystery, but as this song by the Newsboys (or shall we be technical now and call them Newsboys UNITED?) relays, our lives themselves ought to be like a symphony, when people view our lives not only from a distance but up close. How we live our lives both in public and private ought to be all in for the things we believe truly matter, resounding and giving out a symphony atmosphere in the process.
A metaphor that really unpacks what I reckon it truly means to live a sold-out life for Christ; ‘Symphony’ is an encouragement, that ‘…what good are the drums if they can’t be played, what good is a heart kept within a cage, You gave me a voice and a freedom, a joy that I don’t wanna waste, don’t wanna waste…what good is a song if it can’t be sung, we’re lifting our lives to the Risen One, all of creation and heaven can never sing loud enough, loud enough…’ Well done to both Peter and Michael and the rest of the band, to deliver a song that hopefully allows us all to live a life abandoned, sold out for the one thing that has changed us from the inside out, not worried about approval or image, or worried about perception; but rather, living because of what Christ has done for us, and that out of such sacrifice, we can’t help but deliver our symphonies to whomever wants to hear them! Can’t wait until the new album dropping in May 2019; if these two new songs are any indication, then this new album is certain to become one of my favourites of 2019 when the year ends!
Score: 5/5
RIYL: DC Talk, Newsboys, Peter Furler, Paul Colman Trio, Audio Adrenaline