Born Again

Way to go, Newsboys! The music is great and the message is wonderful! What more can I say? Rating: 5 (Born Again customer review by S. Gaschler-Atwood, 2010-08-23)

Very Surprising!!! Okay, so like a lot of people I was thinking Newsboys was done once Peter left but that really isnt the case. Yeah, Peter was awsome and the Newsboys aren't the same but this is stunning!!! I assumed to hear a half-hearted album that was going to sell big only cuz EVERYBODY wants to hear what Newsboys 2.0 sounds like. WRONG!!! Yeah, it's a totally different sound but its hard to find music this good right now. I listen to a ton of rock and pop stuff coming out of the christian music industry and lately its all been sounding the same. NOT THE CASE HERE!!! Quite fresh. Awsome God-centered lyrics. AND A TON OF FUN TO LISTEN TO!!! Newsboys 1.0 might be over but Tait and the old boys sound great! Best stuff I've heard in too long. Almost brought me back to the old newsboys "Thrive" album. Just with a more pop/electronica feel. At any rate, I have to disagree with all the people crying cuz Peter Furler left. Yes, Peter is awsome and no one can replace him but THIS IS REALLY GREAT STUFF!!! BUY IT!!! Rating: 5 (Born Again customer review by MusicMan, 2010-08-18)

The Newsboys needed to be Born Again To explain my title, I did not in any way mean that they needed salvation; I have always been impressed with the lyrical quality of the Newsboys. What I mean is that the band seemed to be stuck in the 90's and was becoming increasing irrelevant in today's Christian music culture. Michael Tate has brought the Newsboys to the 21st century with a new sound that, quite frankly, I love a lot more than the stereotypical 90's praise that the boys have been churning out for a while. Below is a review of each individual track on the Born Again STANDARD EDITION cd, or you can just skip to the bottom for a general review: 1. Born Again - 9.5/10 - The title track, and also the first single from the CD, is nearly flawless, combining a catchy pop-rock sound with good lyrics. I can't honestly say they're GREAT lyrics, I've heard more explicitly spiritual ones before, even on this album, but the message is still evident and makes for a great first track. 2. One Shot - 10/10 - One of my favorite tracks off of this CD, One Shot proclaims that believers should always proclaim their love for God, no matter what the circumstance. As many have pointed out, after a while this song will become dated due to its references to Facebook and Twitter ["Things change, just like the Twitter that you update, or the Facebook status on your front page, but there's no comment you can leave to change my mind..."]. 3. Way Beyond Myself - 9/10 - A little more pop than rock, this song sounds gorgeous but leaves a little to be desired lyrically. Although dripping with religious metaphor, you'll have to listen closely to hear the actual reference to the Lord in the chorus. 4. Impossible - 6/10 - The first slower song of the CD, the sound is okay but while the lyrics are empowering, a unbeliever might miss the Christianese in them. 5. When the Boys Light Up - 9/10 - A fun pop rock anthem, this songs is reminiscent of a 90's boy band sound, but still expertly produced and lyrically sound, although still mostly metaphoric. 6. Build Us Back - 9/10 - Perhaps my favorite worship song on the album, Build Us Back is a simple yet elegant song about relying on God to build us up when we endure hardships in life. 7. Escape - 7/10 - Bringing us back to the Newsboys' new rock element with a bang, Escape is a really fun rock song with really generic lyrics. While it sounds cool, it almost seems like a distraction from the fact the lyrics in this song have almost no substance to them. 8. Miracles - 10/10 - Another one of my favorites from this album, this track is a powerful rock anthem that is another great testament to the impeccable production values instilled in this album. Some Newsboys fans will still be disappointed with the lack of an actual reference to God, but He is still quite evident in the lyrics ["You got me up from down, faith has shattered my doubt, I believe in miracles"]. 9. Running to You - 10/10 - Another great worship song with very explicitly Christian lyrics ["More than just emotion, my broken heart has chosen, Jesus I'm running to You..."] 10. On Your Knees - 9/10 - The final original song on Born Again, On Your Knees examines the journey of a young woman searching for salvation. It never tells of the woman actually accepting Christ, but it does lay out a fairly clear salvation message. 11. Mighty to Save - 8/10 - The only reason this gets as low as a rating of 8 from me is because the Hillsong original has been redone so many times, so many ways that it's just starting to get old. The Newsboys actually did a fantastic job with this upbeat worship track, just wish they could have chosen something a little more unique. 12. Jesus Freak w/ KJ-52 - 10/10 - Many people have scrutinized this track unduly simply because it's a remake of the much-revered dcTalk hit. Here's my version: I actually like the flow of this version better than the original. When comparing the two songs, there are some aspects that sound better than the original, while others can completely ruin the song for diehard dcTalk fans. I will admit that KJ-52's rendition of TobyMac's raps leave something to be desired from the original, but at the same time it is a fresh take which is delivered at the top of his game. It simply depends on your perspective. Overall, I really like the "reborn" Newsboys. More rock, less 90's pop. Unfortunately, the lyrics did suffer some on this album, probably in an effort to appeal to a wider audience, although the message of Christ is still clearly communicated if you take the album as a whole. One thing that struck me when I was listening to the album's fourth track was that Michael Tate's voice seems to be better suited for rock than contemporary worship. No one can deny that Tate is very talented and has a unique voice, but on the approximately 50% of the album that's targeted toward the CCM crowd, his voice seems to be a bit out of place, a bit too powerful, if you will, for the genre. I wonder if the Newsboys' next album will be more focused on the rock aspect of their rebirth. Rating: 5 (Born Again customer review by ryan@atlantis, 2010-08-13)

Rock this in ur skinny jeans and flip the switch! New boyz meet your better boys... Newsboys. I give this album 5 out of 5. Rock this album in your skinny jeans with/without a mic. lol. Light up! Rating: 5 (Born Again customer review by A. Bonitto, 2010-08-08)

The New Newsboys know how to Light it up! I think this is simply one of the best albums I've heard in awhile. While they kept some of the old Newsboys sound and groove, they are a completely new group. There is no doubt about that. But I've always like Michael Tait (from way back in the DC Talk days), and feel his voice lends to the sound splendidly. In my opinion, the covers (Jesus Freak, Mighty to Save, etc) aren't as good as the original versions, however I think pretty much all of their new songs are fantastic... Especially "Way Beyond My Self" and of course, "Born Again." Rating: 5 (Born Again customer review by M. Schlueter, 2010-08-06)