Step Up To The Microphone

Good news for 'Boys fans. Two years after Take Me to Your Leader comes Step Up to the Microphone. Indeed a step up, the contemporary Christian group's seventh updates and augments their sound with splashes of Britpop (albeit after the wave has crested) and a more current, modern rock feel. There are fewer bouncy dance-pop tunes here, but rhythm has by no means been forsaken for accent. What they have gained is a passion for the irresistible hook. Listen to opening track "WooHoo," with its grungy intro giving way to a tight groove and an infectious chorus. Or the soaring melodies of "Entertaining Angels" and "Hallelujah." If you weren't a fan before, do yourself a favor: step up and listen to the News. --Jerry Chamberlain