Former Newsboy’s solo project catching Fire
Peter Furler is best known for his tenure in Australian rock band Newsboys, one of the most successful groups in the history of contemporary Christian music.
Furler helped form the band in 1985, starting out as its drummer and switching to lead vocals full time in 1997. He also wrote and produced much of the band's material.
Before leaving Newsboys in 2009, Furler released 13 albums with the band, selling more than seven million copies in the process and scoring hit singles like “Shine" and “Take Me To Your Leader," and earning multiple Grammy nominations and Dove awards.
Faithful Newsboys fans will undoubtedly rush to purchase On Fire, the solo debut album Furler released this past June.
The 11-track disc doesn't stray far from the sound Furler forged with Newsboys. Songs like “I'm Alive," “Reach" and “Glory to the King" start off with steady, danceable drum beats and poppy synth lines that give way to epic, anthemic choruses driven by distorted power chords.
After a few songs, it begins to feel formulaic. That said, this is positive, upbeat rock music that could even work well in a worship setting.
And there's only one major misstep. On “Psalm 23," Furler recites the psalm over a gentle piano line that later gives way to a lush synthesizer part and, once again, a steady dance beat.
The problem lies in the use of Auto-Tune on Furler's vocals on that one song. For the uninitiated, Auto-Tune is recording software that corrects pitch in vocal and instrumental performances. It can be used as an effect to distort the human voice when pitch is raised or lowered significantly, something that has become a recent trend in popular music.
It smacks of 2010 and 2011, and will instantly date “Psalm 23." If there's one thing I'd like to know, it's why Furler decided to employ the gimmick on the track.
That said, On Fire includes many standout tracks. “Hold On" is an edgy perseverance anthem. “Closer," a sparse, restrained dance track reunites Furler with frequent Newsboys collaborator Steve Taylor, and “Faster and Louder" contains a synth melody that sounds like a cross between Owl City and The X-Files. “Faster and Louder" also features one of the album's most passionate and memorable choruses.
Lyrically, Furler delves into his spiritual life and praises God. On the first song, Furler sings, “I'm alive, I'm on fire / And my spirit burns with desire / You set me alight, bright-eyed / And with no way to hold it inside / I wanted to thank You, thank You, thank You." Later on the album, he sings, “A sea, a sea of voices sing / Glory to the King / the King of everything."
“There is a fire shut up in my bones that I have not been able to hold in since I was a child," Furler said recently. “For me, I find its release through melody and testimony."
Overall, On Fire is a solid effort from a contemporary Christian music pioneer. While it is formulaic at times, and “Psalm 23" is confounding, fans of Furler's work with Newsboys will be pleased with the album.
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The other day via Twitter, CBC Manitoba posed the question, “What is your favourite summer song by a Manitoba musician?" Instantly, I thought of “Vika" by The Pets.
This is one of my all-time favourite songs, and I've made it my mission to spread the word about it.
The pop gem was released on The Pets' one and only album, Love and War, and although it came out 11 years ago, it still sounds fresh.
If the Beach Boys were Mennonite and had written and recorded Pet Sounds in 2000 in Steinbach, Manitoba., there's a very good chance they'd have come up with something like “Vika."
Over a fast-paced organ and guitar part, with skittering drum beats in the background, singer Chris Peters sings about his love for his wife, Vika.
“If you're on an aeroplane, on a boat or on a train / In the desert Africa, driving South America / I'll try to warm you when you're cold to show I care / I'll stir your tea when we get old and brush your hair / You are a gift from God above / He's the source, he's the source of eternal love," Peters sings.
The lyrics are simple and evocative without being cheesy or sentimental. The music is upbeat and perfect for a sunny summer day, with vocal harmonies that would make Brian Wilson weep. Download “Vika" for free at
http://bit.ly/ThePetsVika.
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