Album: “Step up to the Microphone”

Description

Newsboys: Peter Furler (vocals, guitar, drums, programming); Jody Davis, Phil Joel (guitar, bass, background vocals); Jeff Frankenstein (keyboards, programming, background vocals); Duncan Phillips (drums, percussion, background vocals). <p>Additional personnel: Blair Masters, Love Sponge String Quartet (strings); <p>Jonathan Roberts (trumpet). <p>This is not your grandfather's Christianity. Following the trail blazed by Jars Of Clay, Petra and the now-legendary Stryper, these Aussies bring their message to the masses by wrapping it in a familiar package. But just because it walks like a slacker, talks, dresses and shaves its head like a slacker, it isn't necessarily a slacker. <p>Making sure they have all their bases covered, the Newsboys move from the alt-rock opening track ("WooHoo") to White-boy funk ("Step Up To The Microphone") and trip-hop ("Entertaining Angels"), all within the first three tracks. All the while, the Newsboys stay true to their purpose of bringing the word of God to rock fans. Unlike their brethren, however, their lyrics are well crafted and never come across as too preachy. They even let a little doubt creep in, as in "Believe" ("I just believe it/and sometimes I dunno why") but in the end they "know a line is crooked/'cause we know what's straight."