Imagine a NewSong album that pays homage to the renowned band’s calling card—message-filled power pop that brings down the house in some of the country’s largest venues—yet has production sensibilities so forward-looking, it could have only been helmed by one of Christian music’s most revered producers. Now, stop daydreaming and grab your iPod.
When NewSong tapped genre-bending producer Charlie Peacock (Switchfoot, Ten Out of Tenn) for the project, the seasoned vets nailed it. “Give Yourself Away is true to who we are, but it's new and exciting,” says lead singer Russ Lee. “It's authentic, sonically relevant and fresh. In a word, modern.”
Safe to say NewSong’s production, while always impressive, had never seen the likes of Charlie Peacock. Yet how did the brilliant but difficult-to-categorize producer enter the picture? It all goes back to the humble but remarkable servant of Christ who inspired NewSong’s 1999 #1 hit, “Jesus to the World (Roaring Lambs).” Explains NewSong founding member Eddie Carswell, "Bob Briner was very close to both Charlie and us, and he had spoken to Charlie about the group.”
"Bob put his endorsement on these men,” affirms Charlie. “If a giant of a man gives another his blessing, you take it seriously, even if your worlds appear very different at first. With that, I launched into NewSong's world." Make no mistake; the expanding of horizons was mutual. "I enjoyed writing songs with Eddie and Russ,” Charlie continues. “Left to my own devices, I usually write to the small rooms. Not them. They are always writing with the arena in mind. It's a completely different way of seeing and hearing.” And once the producer hit record? “NewSong is nothing if not dedicated to their mission and audience. They carried the ball all the way to the end zone on this record—persisting until they knew it was the best it could be,” Charlie says.
In addition to co-writing with Charlie for the album, Eddie penned new songs with Russ Lee, Matthew West, James Isaac Elliot, Sanctus Real frontman Matt Hammitt, and NewSong alum Michael O’Brien. While Give Yourself Away is a cohesive modern pop album, the fruit of diverse input and creativity is on full display.
And what would a NewSong record be without the impressive vocals the group has long been known for? Beginning with the golden voice of band co-founder Billy Goodwin, over the years NewSong has counted some of Christian music’s most talented singers among their number. Give Yourself Away marks the celebrated return of former frontman Russ Lee, and it’s a move that just feels right for everyone. “Russ was front and center during the years we began cultivating a more diverse live show,” says Eddie. “Having him back is a real blessing. This is the way it’s supposed to be.”
After his initial tenure with NewSong ended in 2000, Russ released three acclaimed studio albums and recorded the evergreen Christian radio hits “Live What I Believe” and “I Smile.” His solo adventure was both rewarding and challenging. He made mission trips to Iraq, Japan and Germany with the military, and he and his family spent six months serving in developing countries. “From there, I became worship pastor at my church, appeared at men's conferences, and continued to develop relationships in the songwriting community.” Russ pauses thoughtfully before quietly adding, “Most importantly, I was able to be at home with my wife, Mary, while she was fighting cancer, which included nine months of chemotherapy.”
As Russ contemplates this latest offering—NewSong’s first release since 2005's Rescue: Live Worship (Integrity), and its first studio album since 2003’s More Life (Reunion)—he sees it in a historical perspective. “Give Yourself Away reminds me of when we recorded the Love Revolution album,” he says. “Musically, and in every other way, it was a new day. We gained a lot of new fans with that record because we broadened the palette of songwriting and production. And that's what we did with Give Yourself Away.”
From the second the music kicks in, there’s no doubt this fresh world of sound is coming to you courtesy of the same band that logged 20 #1 radio hits. Russ’s signature voice propels the hook-heavy, joy-filled debut single, “That’s What Mercy Is.” The equally addictive standout, “Too Wonderful,” takes delight in a magnificent Savior as Russ’s voice flows emotively over Charlie’s artful piano stylings and an inviting rhythm track. The song “Hope,” perhaps more than any other, tips the band’s adventurous hand as NewSong gleefully embraces European modern rock influences.
The band soon moves into emotionally vulnerable territory while assuring “God Hears,” as Russ lovingly reflects on a sovereign, ever-personal God and his wife’s victory over cancer. Later, the band puts the spotlight on the world’s orphans when Billy, who sings lead on signature classics “Arise My Love” and “The Christmas Shoes,” delivers the endearing “Every Child (Deserves a Home).”
In addition to Russ, Eddie and Billy, NewSong also features multi-instrumentalist/vocalist Matt Butler, guitarist Rico Thomas, bassist Mark Clay, drummer Jack Pumphrey, and percussionist Matt Goodwin. Just as the major breakout events in the group’s history—including “The Christmas Shoes” chain reaction and the emergence of NewSong’s “Winter Jam Tour Spectacular” as Christian music’s biggest annual tour—have resulted from the band’s unconventional decisions and the seemingly random things that fall into place around those decisions, with Give Yourself Away, this 28-year trend continues in blatant fashion.
In a move reminiscent of innovative gestures by Keith Green and DeGarmo & Key, NewSong is including a free duplicate CD with each copy of Give Yourself Away.” Says Eddie, “As a means of encouraging our fans to give themselves away, we want them to give those extra copies to friends in need.” NewSong will also be giving away thousands of additional copies through its ministry partner Holt International, which specializes in adoption and child welfare around the world. The flexibility to be able to make such bold moves is so important to the band that NewSong recently founded its own record label, His Honor Music, through which Give Yourself Away makes its bow.
With EMI CMG signing-on as the new label’s distributor, it’s an exciting partnership. “Bill Hearn and the staff at EMI CMG are ready to step outside the box with us in a major way,” Eddie says. “It’s not everyday a label decides they’re just going to give away copies of a CD, so I’m extremely humbled by their desire to help us do that.”
NewSong’s ministry mindset resonates when you know that communicating the Gospel message and giving listeners the chance to respond to Christ has been the very heart of what the band has done since its inception. Naturally, that realization begs the question: Is NewSong, who’s set to perform for nearly 400,000 people in 2010, an evangelism ministry or a Grammy-nominated and Dove Award-winning recording act? Answer: Yes to both.
“At the end of the day, the goal for NewSong has always been to share the Gospel and to make sure everyone knows that Christianity is a relationship of Hope that's for anyone," says Russ. "Everything that drives NewSong is about that message. And that's all it's ever been about. I think that’s the reason God has blessed NewSong and has allowed it to become what it is."
