Devotion

Description

Devotion is the eleventh full-length studio album by the Australian established but US based pop/rock band Newsboys, released on Sparrow Records in November 2004, manufactured by EMI CMG Label Group and distributed by EMI CMG Distribution. The album was produced by band member Peter Furler. It is a follow-up album to the band’s first worship-oriented project, Adoration. Several artists made guest appearances on the album, including Rebecca St. James, Bethel World Outreach Choir, Stuart Garrard of Delirious?, and Jon Ellis of Tree63.

When it was first announced in 2003 that the Newsboys were to record a worship album more than one critic made observations which included the words “jumping” and “bandwagon”. Certainly, for a band who’d built their reputation with a stream of witty pop rock anthems to suddenly move into the sanctuary did seem a tad opportunistic, inspired more by the sales explosion of modern worship music than by any deep desire to lead listeners into a deeper experience of the living God. But with the excellence of ‘Adoration‘ and the classic status of that album’s «He Reigns» and «It Is You» originals it was clear that the band were serious about their new direction. Now along comes ‘Devotion’ and again it is definitely vertical in nature. In fact the opener, penned by lead singer Peter Furler and long-time musical associate Steve Taylor, is as good a new worship song as you’re likely to hear this year. The title song was written by Furler, Taylor and Britain’s very own Tim Hughes and with its swaying rhythm and haunting refrain will surely touch many hearts. The covers too are excellent, crisp, rhythmically dense productions and Furler’s pining vocals bring out all the joy of Redman’s «Blessed Be Your Name» and Hughes’ «Name Above All Names». But it’s the set of beautifully crafted originals which keep me returning to this CD. Peter Furler said in a recent interview, “If you’re writing a worship song for the wrong motives or to sell records, then people can sniff that out. They know a phoney.” On ‘Devotion’ all I could detect was the aroma of Jesus. [Tony Cummings, Cross Rhythms, January 2005]

> Apple Music (https://music.apple.com/us/album/devotion/724319409)

CD tracklist:

01. Devotion
02. I Love Your Ways
03. Presence (My Heart’s Desire)
04. Strong Tower
05. God Of Nations
06. Blessed Be Your Name
07. The Orphan
08. Landslide Of Love
09. Name Above All Names
10. When The Tears Fall

Note: “Isaiah” was originally included as an “album only” track when Devotion was purchased from the iTunes Store. The track has since been deleted from the album and is now available only as a separate single.