NewSong

The variables might seem to indicate “a change is gonna come.” After all, Give Yourself Away is the first studio project from NewSong since 2003, giving the band plenty of time to expand, mature, grow. In addition, the producer involved is none other than Charlie Peacock, whose other clients include Switchfoot among others. So let me dispel such myths pretty quickly; this is a NewSong album through and through, so you should know you’re getting exactly what you think – even years later.

And that very product is full of heart-wrenching pop numbers and inspo ballads intended to be sung as arena anthems coast to coast. Give Yourself Away doesn’t stray from the familiar, nor should it given the tremendous success this group has experienced over the last 20+ years. The numbers include 20 #1 songs in the Christian market and mainstream success with “The Christmas Shoes.” It’s a vocals-first arrangement that Peacock does well to simply get out of the way of.

This album includes familiar faces and writers like Eddie Carswell and Russ Lee, although some of the co-writes might surprise. Matthew West, Sanctus Real’s Matt Hammitt and former NewSong member Michael O’Brien all make appearances on Give Yourself Away. Musically, the oft-used pop structures are all here, although some tracks like “Magnet” ramp up the energy for those higher-energy live numbers. And for the act that started the famous Winter Jam tour, that’s an important addition to the catalog.

The title track is so basic, it’s sure to become the baby food of Christian music themes for a while. It’s Social Justice 101, intended to simply get Christians to consider the basic premise of “giving themselves away.” The trend continues, with much of the album’s material simply reminding Christians of what they already know. “The Beauty of Our God” is a joyful jaunt into AC territory that reads: “See the colors of the rainbow/He painted them by hand/His eye is on the sparrow/And every hair that’s on your head.” I will just move on now.

The band’s long supported World Vision and now they’ve written a song for that very occasion in the show where they bring the lights down, show the pictures and urge you to sponsor. “Every Child Deserves A Home” is a straightforward story set to acoustic guitar where NewSong reminds us of our privilege and how heaven’s bent toward the child. In the end, the requisite children’s choir gets involved, thus completing the cycle you knew that was coming. Yet something tells me this will still be a crowd favorite.

You know, this album just is what it is. I hate that very statement because usually it means the person saying it has nothing to really say at all. It lacks any real substance and is unnecessary. Yet that’s all that can honestly be said – at least from this perspective – about this latest project from NewSong. After all this time, you either like NewSong enough to read this or you passed on long ago. And this album will do no different to either change your mind one way or the other.

Tagged as: Give Yourself Away, NewSong

↓ One comment

#1 Chris Unthank on November 24th, 2009 at 6:44 pm

Another great review Matt. I agree completely!

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