Album Review: Newsboys - Stand Posted September 30, 2021 By JJFrancesco_NRT, Staff Reviewer
What You Need To Know
After wrapping up their final commitments of their Newsboys United-era, iconic Christian contemporary band the Newsboys seem to be ready to continue the direction they were taking with 2013's Restart and 2016's Love Riot. So, in 2021, the band is back with a new album, Stand, a fun and poppy return to the Michael Tait era of the Newsboys. For those new to the Newsboys, Michael Tait is the band's current lead singer.
What It Sounds Like
It's weird, considering that Restart is closing in on a decade old and Love Riot is over five years old. And yet, these are the most recent albums that seem to be continuing the "standard" albums of the Tait era. Since Tait joined the band, the Newsboys seem to be in a pattern of normal release/worship project cycle. With two to three years between albums, this has created quite a gap from standard project to standard project. United, a multi-year reunion with the band's previous members, shook up the formula. But their 2021 album, Stand, sees the band taking up where they left off with their sound in 2016's Love Riot.
Lead single "Magnetic" displays the best of the Newsboys' upbeat energetic pop/rock and is a strong introduction to this new collection of songs. The title track is the kind of rousing, inspirational anthem the Tait era has also made a huge signature of. Don't be surprised to hear this song in trailers for Christian films in the coming months.
Spiritual Highlights
The Newsboys have long been advocates of standing up for Christ against the world, and that theme cuts through several of the album's cuts, most notably in the title track.
Songs like "Magnetic" and "Ain't It Like Jesus" offer rousing praise to our savior for his work in our lives. "Never Too Far Away" is a song encouraging those who have strayed to return to the arms of a loving God.
Best Song
The title track is probably the strongest cut from this class of Newsboys songs.
For Fans Of
MercyMe, Tait, for King & Country
Final Word
While fans will undoubtedly miss the United era, the Tait era of the Newsboys was always a crowd-pleaser, and Stand sees that era continuing in strong form.
