In the Hands of God

The latest Newsboys CD, “In the Hands of God”, came out this past Tuesday, and I really like it. It’s not my favorite Newsboys album, but it’s definitely up there. My very first CD was “Step Up to the Microphone” by the Newsboys, and that was back in 2nd grade. I’ve followed them longer than any other band. From the time I started listening to them (1998) to 2003, band’s line-up never changed, but the past few years, it’s felt like a revolving door with people coming and going. “In the Hands of God” definitely reflects that, and it’s bittersweet. On one hand, long-time guitarist Jody Davis is back after a 6-year, 3-album absence. I always liked Jody, and I was never much of a fan of Paul Colman, his replacement on “Go”, so I was very glad that to hear Jody again on this album. On the other hand, this is the first album without bassist Phil Joel, and I missed him a lot. It felt really weird without him. Even more depressing is the fact that this is lead vocalist Peter Furler’s last album with the band. He’s been with the Newsboys from the beginning, and it’s really sad that he’s leaving. But he sounds great on this album. In fact, I think his voice sounds better here than on any other Newsboys album so far. He definitely ended his run with the Newsboys on a strong note. Now for the songs:

“The Way We Roll”: This was a great start to the album. I love how it started with just Jody (guitar) and then Duncan Phillips on drums. Right off the bat, it sounded just like classic Newsboys. It sounds a bit like “Giving It Over”, the opening track from 2002’s “Thrive”. The song itself is basically a recap of the band’s history starting from their earliest years. Peter even sings about their famous spinning drum kit. My only problem with the song is the fact that they’re using weird hip/ghettoish slang “that’s the way we roll”. It’s sort of out of place, because they’re, um, in their late 30s-early 40s. It’s just kind of weird to hear. At least it’s not as bad here as in “Wherever We Go”, where Peter sings “hands up, holler back here”. THAT was sorta fruity. All in all, “The Way We Roll” is a good song. Peter’s voice is perfect, especially in the middle of the song.

“No Grave”: This is one of my favorite songs on the album. It’s about God’s power over death. It has a much darker feel to it and reminds me of 3 Doors Down. Once again, Peter sounds great, but then again they all do. And here’s the weirdest thing: I swear to God that Phil Joel is singing on it. I’m not even kidding- I definitely hear him on the second verse. So maybe they got him back for a song. That would be cool.

“This is Your Life”: Jeff Frankenstein really shines on this one. Since Phil Joel left, he’s played synth bass as well as keyboard, and he’s great on both here. That’s the best thing about the song, really. The lyrics are ok, but not as creative or deep as I’ve heard the band get. Personally, I prefer Switchfoot’s song by the same name.

“Glorious”: This is the first “worship song” on the album. The lyrics are taken from Psalms, but I’m not sure where exactly. The crux of the song is about how even though we basically suck at life, God stays awesome, and how he knows us even though we can be fake or weak. It’s really comforting and gives me such a deep sense of how amazing God is and how not-amazing I am. It’s really cool. Definitely one of the best songs on the album.

“In the Hands of God”: This is the title song, and it’s really catchy. I mean, I’ve had it stuck in my head a lot this week. It constantly builds in terms of power and emotion, and I like that. Jody does great on backing vocals, and Peter yet again sounds fantastic as he sings the choruses and bridges. I’ve said it before, but vocally, this is Peter’s best album by a landslide.

“The Upside”: I’m not really able to put my finger on how it sounds. I read a review of the album that calls this song “circusy”, and I can sort of see that. I guess I’ll just compare it to other Newsboys songs. Between the strings and the funky rhythm, I’d say it’s sort of the love child of “Entertaining Angels” and “Secret Kingdom”. Peter double-tracks on the second chorus, and it’s really, really cool. I’m not too sure what the song is about, but it has something to do with optimism. I don’t dislike it.

“My Friend Jesus”: This is a wacky little story-song with a moral. Newsboys used to do this with songs like “Reality”, “Truth and Consequences”, and one of their greatest hits, “Breakfast”. But they didn’t do this on their last few albums. So I’m glad they went back to their “fun” side with this one. It’s about Peter Furler being put on hold when calling customer service about a crappy product. He then goes into things that annoy him, and raises the question of how wonderful the world would be if everybody (himself especially) talked, loved, and forgave like Jesus. It’s an interesting, funny song. By the way, Peter’s voice is still fantastic on it. Nice, slurred, Aussie accent when he sings “as my fist goes through the wall”.

“Lead Me to the Cross”: This is another worship song, and it’s also a cover. It’s originally done by Hillsong, and while I don’t like Hillsong for a lot of reasons, this song sounds great. Jeff is featured on a piano throughout the song, and they’ve even got chime-y church bells toward the end. Some might think it’s sort of cliché, but I like the bells.

“Dance”: I’ve probably listened to this song the least. It’s not terrible, but it’s not really my thing. It’s trance-ish, and the lyrics are about being active and doing stuff with your life. Oh, and how faith is good. Yeah. That’s about it, I guess. It’s not a bad song, but I’d rather listen to “No Grave”, “Glorious”, or…

“RSL 1984”: If I had to choose just ONE “favorite” song from this album, it would be this one. It starts out with just Peter and a guitar, but then they add strings and the whole band. It constantly builds on itself, even more so than “In the Hands of God”. The feel of the song’s lyrics and music is very peaceful, relaxed, and content with God and life. It’s all about Peter growing up in Australia. Ironically, the reason he’s leaving the band is so that he can enjoy time at home, and this song definitely explains the appeal of “surf in the sky and the sunshine coast of gold” (how cool is that- Peter combining the land, water, and sky into the same thing? I love that!). There’s Australian lingo such as “bovver boys”, “Mooloolaba”, “walkabout”, and “songline” that I really like, because it shows that after all these years of touring in America, Peter’s heart still longs for his homeland. After my semester in London, I can definitely relate. I also REALLY like the line “God is alive and my magic is no good”. I can’t think of any better assertion of God over man. This is one of my favorite Newsboys songs ever, and I can’t think of a better way for Peter Furler to go.

Overall, this was a great album. Not my favorite Newsboys album, but definitely in the top 3. And actually, now that I mention it, I don’t have a current “favorite” Newsboys album. So I guess this could be it. I don’t know, the point is, this is a great album that sounds MUCH more like classic Newsboys than “Go”. It’s a great blend of spirituality, wit, heaviness, and fun that made the Newsboys so great in the first place. You should get it if you haven’t already.