Capitol CMG
Release Date: July 19th 2024
Reviewed by: Joshua Andre
Newsboys– Worldwide Revival Part 1 (Amazon mp3/iTunes)
Track Listing:
- Heaven On Earth
- Worldwide Revival
- In God We Trust
- How Many Times
- Color
- Eyes On Heaven
- Christ And Christ Crucified (feat. Lindy Cofer)
- He Lives
One of the most inspiring, honest, vulnerable, comforting, moving, thought-provoking, comforting, and confronting artists I’ve heard throughout the almost 33 years I have been alive; is the Aussie CCM band Newsboys. Comprising of Michael Tait, Jeff Frankenstein, Jody Davis, and Duncan Phillips; this 30 + year old band originated in the Sunshine Coast of Queensland. My brother Jon wrote a blog about the group a few years ago, that you can read about here, as well as his most recent reviews on the band’s 2021 album STAND from 2021, STAND (Deluxe) from 2022, and their 2019 album UNITED, which reunited long-time members Phil Joel and Peter Furler for a season- for the highly popular Newsboys United tour as well! One of the bands that I was listening to starting from back in 2006 until now- it was this band amongst others that helped me expand my musical horizons beyond just Carman and Delirious?. Not that those aforementioned artists were bad in any way (check out blogs about Carman and Delirious? here and here!); but when you look at Newsboys and their impact the humble Aussie band have had on the CCM industry as a whole (read our blog about Newsboys here!)… how could you not be enamoured and impacted by their music? Songs like “Breakfast”, “Shine”, “He Reigns”, “Love Liberty Disco”, “It Is You”, “Million Pieces”, “Entertaining Angels”, “In Wonder”, “Wherever We Go”, “In The Hands Of God”, “Born Again”, “God’s Not Dead”, “We Believe”, “Guilty”, “Crazy”, “I’m Not Ashamed”, “You Are My King (Amazing Love)”, “Step Up To The Microphone”, “Stay Strong”, “Glorious”, “Lord (I Don’t Know)”, “Thrive”, “Devotion”, “Presence (My Heart’s Desire)”, “I Am Free”, “That Home” and “Live With Abandon” have all impacted my life, and most likely the lives of many people in the whole world.
Even with Michael Tait replacing Peter Furler as lead vocals back in 2009… listeners and critics have embraced Michael and welcomed this transition of lead vocals with open arms. The result is a group that has been around for over 30 years, who has presented the word of God in their songs many, many times, and a band who is unashamed of the gospel; and whose mission is to draw people closer to Jesus, regardless of how popular that may be or look like to the modern mainstream, and at times now accepted world at large. In 2019, the group released their most ambitious project in probably CCM history. UNITED featured the return of Phil Joel and Peter Furler- and you can read all about the album and our thoughts here. If you’re fascinated about Newsboys generally and their history though, you can read their Wikipedia… but since a couple of months ago is when Newsboys have released their latest project. Worldwide Revivial Part 1, comprising of 8 tracks, is the first part in a worship double-disc album that would be Newsboys first ‘worship record’ since their hymn like 2014 album Hallelujah For The Cross. And as such, while we are accustomed to hear the odd worship song from Michael Tait and co., a whole album sounds very Hillsong and Bethel-like, which, depending on your view of worship and the church, may sound very welcome and seamless or jarring and disconcerting.
Did we ever think this day would come? In 2023, Newsboys announced that former Stellar Kart and Audio Adrenaline frontman Adam Agee would be joining the band (for bass guitar and co-lead vocals); and does this mean that they’re phasing out Michael Tait on lead vocals now? Adam’s inclusion on the EP/album ender “He Lives” as a co-lead on vocals is welcome for some and possibly highly controversial for long-time fans. No doubt, Newsboys is now more of a brand than a band now, and if ever Michael were to leave, the band would continue with Adam at the helm. Regardless of your thoughts of the addition of a new member (who can sing!), the song of “He Lives” is actually pretty good. A vertical worship melody that speaks about how Jesus lives and that He has conquered the grave, both Michael and Adam powerfully and eloquently relay to us that ‘…He lives, all honor and power are His, all glory forever, amen Jesus lives…You took all our shame, left it in the grave, we’re forgiven, we’re forgiven, the work forever done, only by the blood, it is finished, it is finished…’; “He Lives”, alongside Phil Wickham’s “Sunday Is Coming” (another Easter themed song!), is one of my favourite songs of the year of 2023.
The rest of the 7 songs is typical par for the course of worship songs you hear at church on Sunday mornings. Sadly, it’s not typical Newsboys pop/rock stuff, and it takes a while getting used to, but Michael, Adam, Jody, Jeff and Duncan still deliver lyrically and musically in my opinion. For listeners though wanting to hear more of Restart or Born Again, you’d be severely disappointed. But if you love other worship albums from the band like Adoration, Devotion or God’s Not Dead; then Worldwide Revival will undoubtedly resonate with you. “Heaven On Earth”, the pop/rock album opener, boldly proclaims Jesus’ sovereignty, His power, His name and His love, as Michael and co. fervently sing out ‘…Jesus is the way, the truth, the life, the only way, holy is the name, Yahweh, One way Jesus, set our hearts on fire, send your Spirit, we are crying out, heaven on earth here and now, one way Jesus, Holy Ghost revival, send Your thunder, let it shake this ground, heaven on earth, here and now…’; while the alternative rock bass guitar driven title track has Michael recounting in desperation and determination that he and the band long to see a revival across the entire earth similar to the Jesus Revolution style movement in the 1960’s and 1970’s. “In God We Trust”, a no-holds-barred confident claim and declaration, speaks about standing up for what is right and true and necessary- standing for Jesus and declaring that is in His name and only His name that we trust (similar in theme to the song “STAND”); while the testimony-like piano ballad “How Many Times” speaks about the faithfulness of God and the fact that He always keeps his promises- ‘…more than the stars In a thousand night skies, more than the minutes In a million lifetimes, how many times have You proven You love me, oh, how You love me…’.
“Color”, probably a divisive track nowadays unfortunately, is a song that is meant to unite and cross barriers and bridges, as the band aim to point out the notion and fact that the differences in our skin colour is just one beautiful way that God has made all of us different, unique, and a part of His creation and kingdom; while “Eyes On Heaven” is a comforting worship melody where Michael and co. speak about keeping our eyes on heaven and our gaze towards Jesus instead of our earthly circumstances, although the lyrical content here is slightly repetitive. “Christ and Christ Crucified”, though, is one of the most inspiring and worshipful melodies on the album, as Newsboys along with Lindy Cofer, deliver a worship song for the ages, and a track that explicitly outlines the gospel- the cross, the resurrection and us praising God because of everything he’s done for us- ‘…no sin is bigger than Your blood, no shame is stronger than Your love, ’cause You said, “It’s finished, it is done”, oh, hallelujah, hallеlujah, and death couldn’t keep You in the ground, You rose in powеr, took Hell down, and that power’s living in us now, oh, hallelujah, hallelujah…’.
What more can I say about Worldwide Revival Part 1 that I haven’t mentioned already? Personally, I reckon this EP is a stellar entry into the catalogue of Newsboys, probably similar in theme and lyrical impact to the project God’s Not Dead. But if you’re perturbed by Adam’s inclusion here, than this EP probably won’t work for you. But I’d say check it out anyway, as you never know if your new favourite song will be one of these worshipful melodies or not. As the overall encompassing theme of Newsboys’ latest EP is one that is worshipping Jesus because He lives and that He has risen from the grave; we are reminded by this fact and are encouraged to live out our faith more. And so, I will say this: well done guys, for this brand-new portion of a bigger album, that inspires and provides hope and security in Jesus Christ. I can’t wait to hear what God has in store for you next in the future!
3 songs to listen to: In God We Trust, Christ And Christ Crucified, He Lives
Score: 4.5/5
RIYL: Audio Adrenaline, Newsboys 1.0, Stellar Kart, DC Talk