Published on Feb 16, 2000
This disc is 35 minutes long – make that 35 minutes
short. Thirty-five minutes. Slightly longer than it takes to
watch the great TV comedy
Sports Night but not quite as long as it takes to bake a
quality homemade lasagna.
Frankly, the lasagna is a better deal – at least the way it’s
made around here. Not that
LoveLibertyDisco isn’t a tasty piece of music. It certainly
is. But, man – that small helping of music grieves my spirit
(that’s Christian for ticks me off). But, then, the ‘boys have
never been long in the time department – which is a shame because
their albums since 1994’s
Going Public have been getting better and better – not
longer, but better.
Now, I’m not asking for every disc to max out in the 78 minute
arena. However, when you’ve got a good thing going can’t you extend
it to at least 50-55 minutes? (This does not apply to acts such as
Backstreet Boys and Britney Spears. They should be limited by
international law to no more than 35 minutes . . . but, I
digress.)
And, make no mistake, the Newsboys do have a great thing going
with their latest release. But, before the title scares you disco
wimps away (“I love the nightlife. I’ve got to boogie. On the disco
round.”) this is not a disco album. Oh, sure, there are hints of
disco, just a whiff really, but silk shirts open to the navel and
platform shoes are not required even though the cover shows the
boys in white suits, looking a little like crazed Bee Gees.
LoveLibertyDisco opens with “Beautiful Sound,” a song
celebrating the worship. “It’s a beautiful sound/moving through the
crowd/voices lifted up on high for You/It’s a beautiful song/we’ve
only just begun to understand/rediscovering You.”
This disc takes off nicely from where the Boys last one,
Step Up To The Microphone, left off. The big difference is
this disc is produced by Peter Furler, the lead singer of the
group. Furler really has a solid handle on what his group is
capable of.
His group. That’s another interesting point. Through 1996’s
Take Me To Your Leader, the de facto leader of the group was
vocalist John James. When James departed after
Leader, many predicted the imminent demise of the Newsboys.
But they proved those critics wrong with the stand up success of
Microphone. Furler stepped mightily into the big shoes left
by James and the band never skipped a beat. And Furler has been
learning the producers craft since at least 1992 and
Not Ashamed under the tutelage of Steve Taylor, Christian
music’s reigning cool guy.
Still, all the production polish in the world cannot save a disc
if the songs are vapid or the performance lackluster. As for the
lyrics, the Newsboys are still pleasantly loopy in their approach.
Which is not to say there isn’t good content. This disc would
definitely pass the Gospel Music Association’s litmus test, but
even the class clown passes his subjects. Examples?
Let’s take that title tune. “Do you feel the love that invites
us?/Liberty excites us/The disco has just begun, just begun/Give me
love, give me liberty, disco/The place everybody in the family’s
found/On that day we will all be happy people/When love, liberty,
disco’s in town” Laid over a traditional disco bed of synthesized
strings and drum machines, this song is fun. The lyrics, about
finding happiness in the love and liberty that life in Christ
brings, are serious but setting paradise as a Heavenly disco is
just hilarious.
But, being serious with a touch of levity is nothing new for the
Newsboys. “Shine” and “Breakfast” from past albums immediately come
to mind. Still, with the song “Say You Need Love” the band deals
with the pretty heavy subjects of feeling betrayed by those who
should be loving you. “Has someone you trusted left you
betrayed?/Has someone who loved you thrown love away?/Do you see
God?/Does He have a face?/Looks like your father’s, how does it
relate?/You’re scared of being let down”
Many people have an unfortunate image of God as a stern and
unloving Father. But, that kind of view is often more of a result
of a bad relationship with their earthly father than of any real
experience with God. But, it can cause real hurt and keep people
from turning to God, the Father. In the bridge, the Furler sings of
the solution: “Don’t be afraid/Don’t shy away/He’ll never leave
you/He won’t forsake you/Don’t be afraid/Don’t shy away/He’s not
gonna leave you”
The topic of feeling alienated from God is a recurring Newsboys
theme, but it has never been presented better – or in a stronger
form – than in the song “I Surrender All.” No, this is not a
reworking of the tired altar call chorus, but rather a somber
realization that regardless of how bleak life appears to be, the
solution is to surrender one’s life to God. It may not bring
sunshine, but it does bring grace – and the change in one life can
affect others. “This reliance on another world/Has a great effect
on this world/This conscience of another world/Has a great effect
on grace recollection/He doesn’t love us ’cause of who we are/He
only loves us ’cause of who He is.” You couldn’t ask for a better
explanation of God’s grace than that.
This disc may be a little short – but it doesn’t short on the
message. In the end that’s more important than the length.