from: ccm magazine, May 2002
author: Anthony Barr-Jeffrey
website: http://www.ccmmagazine.com

»» Thrive

Thrive funnels 14 ambitious years of super-charged yet intelligent alterna-pop into a musical rapprochement marked by the return of the "sixth Newsboy," producer Steve Taylor.

Creating a forward sounding retrospective, the Boys and Mr. Taylor mix the slick stadium pop of Step Up to Microphone with the rabble-rousing fun of Hell Is for Wimps and the lyrical cleverness of Take Me to Your Leader to shining effect.

These wise, old road dogs are as loose as a garage band, balancing the chunky '70s glam-rock swagger of "Giving It Over" with the jangly worship vibe of "Thrive." Taylor's creative input and production fit hand-in-glove on the radio-perfect "Fat of the Land," the fun-time party starter "Cornelius" and the avant-pop explosion "John Woo."

A lovely contradiction, Thrive is flashy, raw, deceptively-smart pop rock that moves listeners to dance, listen carefully and thoughtfully unpack deeper truths about commitment and faith.

File under: Pop/Rock

Sounds like: Train, Vertical Horizon, Steve Taylor

Grade: A-

--Anthony Barr-Jeffrey ««