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author: Robin Parrish
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»» Newsboys
Shine: The Hits
Generally I have an aversion to all best-of albums, and see them as
nothing more than a record label's attempt to squeeze some extra bucks
out of the public at large. But I must admit, this one totally suckered
me in.
Shine: The Hits is a collection of seventeen tracks, including
twelve greatest hits, three brand-new tracks, one remix, and something
called the "Mega-Mix." The hits are all perfect selections,
and just listening to them all at once made me realize how great this
group really is. If you're a Newsboys fan, how can you not enjoy listening
to "I'm Not Ashamed," "Breakfast," "Take Me
to Your Leader," "Entertaining Angels," "WooHoo,"
"Step Up to the Microphone," the title track, and others all
on one disc? Most of the older songs really made me nostalgic for the
John James days.
The new songs are all top-notch as well, harkening back to the more
rock-oriented sounds of Step Up to the Microphone instead of
the bizarre retro sounds of Love Liberty Disco. "Joy"
is probably the best of the three, but I also like "Praises"
a lot as well.
The remix is a killer new version of "God Is Not A Secret,"
featuring Toby McKeehan. This one really cranks up the intensity
over the original and I like it much better. The "Mega-Mix"
is a long track featuring a remix of snippets of virtually every other
song on the album, all mixed together. It's a strange, one-of-a-kind
sort of thing. It's worth hearing once, but once you've heard it, you'll
probably just skip it upon repeated listenings.
Top Picks: Every song on the album except "Reality,"
"Believe," and "I Got Your Number" (the lone contribution
from the pre-Not Ashamed days).
Pros: Love the new tracks, the remix rocks, and the selection
of classics couldn't be better. And best of all, there's nothing included
from Love Liberty Disco.
Cons: It's not a full-length new album. With the strength of
the new stuff presented here, that's a shame. A new album would've been
great.
The Verdict: This disc has already received dozens of spinnings
in my CD player since it first arrived, and it's destined for many more.
Robin's rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
--Robin Parrish ««
