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Step Up to the Microphone

Newsboys - Step Up to the Microphone Audio CD

A fair review of the Newsboys "Step Up to the Microphone" Audio CD. Please note that the below review is the views of the authors, and authors only. You can get a complete list of all Newsboys reviews here, or go back to the Newsboys tabs.

Band: Newsboys
Title: Step Up to the Microphone
Rating:

Release Date: 1998-06-30
Media: Audio CD

Tracks: 1: Whoohoo 2: Step Up to the Microphone 3: Entertaining Angels 4: Believe 5: Tuning In 6: Truth Be Known-Everybody Gets a Shot 7: Deep End 8: Hallelujah 9: Tide 10: Always

Best newsboys cd!
All of the songs on this cd are good! All of them! The best are Woohoo, Step up to the microphone, and Truth be known, which in my opinion those are the best songs. This is the best Newsboys cd that I have. If you are a Newsboys fan than I think you will like this cd!.

Words cannot describe what this album means to me...
I've been a Newsboys fan for about a year now, and I remember that this was about the sixth album I bought, right after Take Me To Your Leader. This album, well, it changed my life to say the least. Now when I first heard it, I liked a few of the songs, but like most of the critics, I was too busy singing along to "Breakfast". However, after listening to TMTYL for a while, I started to find some songs a bit shallow. I then started to listen to Step Up to the Microphone more and realized what I had missed. This album, unlike most of the Newsboys albums before it, doesn't have a bad song on it. Most of them could be huge hits, and strangely enough, four of them were! There was a noticable shift in the sound, while TMTYL was strictly pop/rock, this album is more experimental and incorporates elements of pop/rock/soul/techno/etc. Also, Steve Taylor only contributed to 2 songs on the album, so you'll notice the themes getting slightly more personal and deeper as members such as Phil Joel, Jeff Frankenstein, and Jody Davis contribute to the songwriting with Peter Furler.

Anyway here's my track-by-track rundown:

1. Woohoo-Probably the catchiest song the Newsboys have done since Shine. Except this time, they embraced almost a rock/blue-eyed soul sound and had Phil sing lead (he does fantastic!). Perfect song for celebration.
2. Step Up To the Microphone-Love this song, the horns+guitars are great! Another song that won't leave your head for a while.
3. Entertaining Angels-This song is just beautiful, from the slide guitar to the anthemic choruses to Phil's soulful vocals. Also, it's based on a time in Phil's life when he realized he needed to make things right with God while he was watching TV late one night!
4. Believe-The slide guitar is back! I love this song, and it has a very important theme: That as Christians, we cannot turn away from sin and we must realize that we can't ride the fence forever.
5. Tuning In-I love the instrumentals on this song (horns and latin guitars!) and it's obvious Steve helped with this, because of the crazy lyrics! It's some serious fun, but the message is clear that we must lose ourselves and "tune in" to God.
6. Truth Be Known-Everybody Gets a Shot-Great, funky song about trying to tell others about Christ and how sometimes they will do anything to deny it.
7. Deep End-Like Woohoo, this song is about new life (hmmm theme for the album?)Took a bit to grow on me, but now I love it!
8. Hallelujah-My favorite Newsboys song of all time. Everything about it is incredible: Jody's guitar playing (he's unreal!), Peter and Phil's impeccable harmonies, the dance-rock rhythm, the awesome lyrics, etc. And like the subject in the song, we all must sing "Hallelujah!" when it seems that all has been lost.
9. The Tide-This song eluded me at first. I had no idea what it meant, and skipped over it. Don't make the same mistake I did. The lyrics are beautiful, and theme-wise it is best compared to "Lost The Sky Again" on Not Ashamed. Peter and Phil once again sound great together singing about waiting until they can join their Maker in a safe place.
10. Always-This song never fails to make me cry when I hear it (especially the One Night In Pennsylvania live version) just because my heart goes out to Phil and Jeff whenever I hear it (both grew up without ever knowing their real fathers). Peter has never sounded so hurt, betrayed, and angry at the same time as he takes the point of view of a child who is questioning the father who was never there, but the end slips into a pleading prayer of hope for God to watch over them as a Heavenly Father.

This album has helped strengthen my relationship with the Lord, and will probably always be my favorite album ever. Trust me, buy it, you will not be disappointed! (Not K. Meyers, just his daughter using his account). .

A NEWSBOYS classic
Will put a smile on your face. Good music for anyone to listen to at any age.

A disquieting effort indeed
I don't know if it was the fact they produced this album themselves, or if they tried to sound too techno here, but this just didn't have the appeal as "Take Me To Your Leader" did. I was rather disappointed with the group here. I honestly thought the Newsboys had found thier niche when Steve Taylor began producing the band, but here they really didn't do good. "WooHoo" what's this all about? Is it a reaction to what was happening in churches all around the world with the revival movements? Then there's the second song that was forgettable. I didn't play "Entertaining Angels" because I didn't have to it's rather good. However, the majority of this is alot of techno junk that just didn't make the grade. I know with "WooHoo" the intro is absolutely terrible. I found no joy, no peace, or anything that would make me shout "This is of God". I know some people will think that God will strike me with a bolt of lightning for saying this, but guess what? I can't fake this it's terrible, and I can only stick with "Take Me To Your Leader". After this, and all the other Newsboys albums I just can't seem to enjoy them anymore. I guess another thing with this is that this was the last album released on Star Song record label. Another death besides this album.

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i can't wait!
d but i ordered it so i'm gettin' it soon!i'm looking forward to that day!i have shine the hits so i've heard woohoo,step up to the microphone,entertaining angels and believe. i do not have this c. it sounds good!buy this!.

You can see a complete list of all Newsboys discography, or go back to the Newsboys tabs. There is also a good guide on how to read guitar tabs here.