Newsboys - Go (CD)

All Music Guide

GO is a revolutionary achievement for a band that has spent the better part of two decades carving out a niche for danceoriented contemporary Christian rock. The pioneers of pulse present a new set of highproduction beats with glossy guitars and synth work. The collection was inspired by the band's concerts in Europe, Morocco and Tiberius, Israel in support of their two worship albums, 2003's adoration and 2004's devotion. Frontman Peter Furler found himself writing plenty of new material after unique concerts for diverse crowds in which Buddhists, Muslims and Jews listened together. The result is not a step back in his lyrical assertions, but quite the opposite: the very heart of "GO" is an invitation to follow the Great Commission. Much like Switchfoot was able to set one foot in modern rock soil while keeping the other firmly planted on the safe grounds of faithbased worship, newsboys don't try to hide their ambition for crossover appeal. The sound draws upon synth pop and Eurodance... influences that disappeared with the rise of grunge in the early 90s and returned victoriously over a decade later. Thus, the record sounds much like New Order without the ambiguity, Erasure without the sulking or Agnes Poetry minus the brooding. "In Wonder" opens with a riff that sounds much like the intro to Duran Duran's "Come Undone". "Secret Kingdom" has a Savage Garden vibe to it. And "Your Love is Better Than Life" channels the carefree throbbing of Fatboy Slim's "The Rockafeller Skank". The more accessible "I Am Free" made its way onto the popular compilation WoW Hits 2007. "GO" remains one of the groups' most ambitious works, appealing to both teens and Generation Xer's who have longed for the return of an engaging dancehall album. - Jared Johnson, All Music Guide Read more Less