In the 1990s, Christian music caught Aussie fever with the roaring success of the Newsboys. With their blend of infectious melodies, biting wit, and the most fun you could have at a rock concert, these boys quickly developed a powerhouse fanbase in the industry. 1996's Take Me To Your Leader is widely considered the pinnacle of their success in their initial era. Coming at the turning point where prominent members left and others joined, it was the peak of their radio presence and one the defining albums of their entire career. As this album turns 25 this month, we take a look back at an album that shapes a band and dominated a genre.
After The Climb
Starting with 1992's Not Ashamed album, the Newsboys had been on a definitive ascent in Christian music. The success continued with 1994's Going Public, which boasted the massive hit, "Shine." The expectations and momentum going into Take Me To Your Leader set it up from the getgo to either become an instant classic or a massive disappointment. Luckily for the Newsboys, their reign as one of the premier bands of Christian music wasn't about to go off road.
Of the 11 tracks on the album, a whopping 10 were released as radio singles. (Poor "Miracle Child" must've pulled the short straw.) Every one of these singles hit Top 10 on one of the various Christian music radio charts. (One of the songs, "Breathe" has two versions featured on the album, both released as singles, and both became hits.) And several of these songs would go on to become some of the band's most iconic and signature songs.
Oliver's All Liver Supplements
Steve Taylor generated some controversy in Christian music in the late 1980s for his off-the-wall and provocative lyrics. While his solo career had taken a back seat, his presence as a writer/producer for the Newsboys had been a definitive turning point in their career, taking them to the A-list of Christian music in just a few short albums. His third collaboration with the band produced some of the wittiest ditties yet that proved strangely profound as well.
"Reality" offered a biting satire of the poor life choices of youth rejecting God. The title track offered humorous stories on how people found Christ.
Perhaps the best example comes from the memorable "Breakfast." Both strangely grim in metaphor and surprisingly on point, the song sings of how we should get ourselves right with God now because after death, it's too late. The song's witty lyrics started a trend that still continues of fans bringing boxes of Captain Crunch to the band's shows.
The Captain Says Farewell
Commercial success aside, this album's most notable feature is that it is both the final and debut album for a prominent member. Original lead vocalist John James would step away from the band following this album, passing the torch to the band's drummer and co-writer of many of their songs (and occasionally already having shared lead vocal duties), Peter Furler. Furler would go on to front the band for over another decade and then return about a decade later to form the supergroup of the band, Newsboys United. This album was also the first for bass player and co-vocalist, Phil Joel.
Hailing from New Zealand, Phil Joel's voice fit within the band's Aussie vibe perfectly. But his voice offered a softer and gentler contrast to the raspier and punchier vocals of James. This made him well suited to carry songs like the chorus of the emotional ballad, "Let It Go."
For his final performance with the band, James brought his A game. The choruses of songs like "Breakfast" and "It's All Who You Know" are gems of 90's goodness that will still have you singing along today.
Silver anniversaries are a big deal. Celebrate 25 years of a legendary album in Christian music by booking a reservation to revisit some "Breakfast."
J.J. Francesco is a longtime contributor to the NRT Staff. He's published the novel 'Because of Austin' and regularly seeks new ways to engage faith, life, and community.
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