First things first: as Andy Argyrakis noted in the April issue of The Phantom Tollbooth, The Newsboys are not disbanding. With the release of Shine...The Hits, it's the perfect time for bassist Phil Joel and guitarist Jody Davis to shine a bit on their own. With Jody Davis, we have a bit of a spit-polish instead of a true shine.
Second things second, don't expect a Newsboys' sound from Jody Davis. For the most part, this project is straight-ahead rock and roll, with a horn section that often sounds like the band Chicago. "Believe" (not the Newsboys' song) is an excellent kick-off with solid guitars, rock horns and rock-solid lyrics ("You've got to stand for something, or you just might fall for anything. Is there something you would die for? That's your God. That's your faith.")
Some of these songs stretch back as far as ten years, so Davis has a bank of excellent lyrics from which to work. They're dynamic, and most are so incredibly Christ-centered that I was immediately impressed. Davis could take these lyrics, which range from faith in God, praise and worship, and gripping human emotions, and read them as poetry, capturing an audience. But there's music to go along with these lyrics, and the arrangements often mar the lyrical delivery.
The sound and flow of Jody Davis seem disjointed. Davis' influence seems to be more that of Pete Stewart and/or Grammatrain, perhaps on the reckless side. The artist's own guitars almost -- and sometimes do -- override his vocals on "Believe," "Satellite," "Crush of Love" and "Bleed." Davis flirts with reggae with "Close to You" and "Can't Get Enough." The rock and horns style doesn't work with "Crush of Love," since the tempo changes too often; it's almost troublesome to enjoy. One of the more smooth performances is "Climbing to Your Throne," which mixes the horn section and guitars nicely, but Davis' vocals seem to be mixed down.
As of this writing, we at The Phantom Tollbooth agree that the standout track is Davis' excellent reading of Todd Rundgren's "Love is the Answer" (which Davis co-titles "Light of the World"). I contend this performance is nearly superior to Rundgren's original Utopia (from Oops! Wrong Planet) recording, but Davis' vocals could have been mixed up a bit to emphasize the lyrics and magic of this particular message.
The bottom line is that Jody Davis has presented a good solo debut, and to continue with the Newsboys theme, the production quality could have made it "shine." With many listenings, one can get used to the spit-polish style, and I hope Jody Davis records another project with the same intensity of lyrics on Jody Davis with tighter production values that will make the flow work more smoothly.
Other coverage for this album
The Phantom Tollbooth 2001Reviewed by Andy ArgyrakisThe Newsboys desperately needed a break after a decade on the road, ending in their exhaustive dome tour from last summer. The group is not disbanding, just spending a bit of their down time engulfed in other projects. First was the modestly successful InPop Records release from Phil Joel. Now, guitarist Jody Davis had stepped out on his own with an 11 song self-titled project. The disc sports an…The Phantom Tollbooth 2001Reviewed by Glenn McCartyWe'll get the "Breakfast" jokes out of the way first, so we can deal with Jody Davis on his own terms. As lead guitarist of the multi-platinum youth group favorite Newsboys (for those who need help, he's not the bald one or the one with Rapunzel-esque locks, but has gone through some hairstyle identity crises of his own), Davis has been the band's mainstay since its inception, providing skillful…The Phantom Tollbooth 2001Reviewed by Jessica HeikoopBeginning with ear-catching riffs and gritty vocals, Jody Davis catches the listener's attention immediately. Davis, guitarist for the Newsboys, has released his self-titled album and proven that he is just as successful as a solo artist as he is with The Newsboys. The songs, which were composed over a span of ten years, all flow well, and capture many sounds and feelings, something that is hard…The Phantom Tollbooth 2001Reviewed by Chelsea LewisYet another Newsboy puts the spotlight on a solo project outside the band. Jody Davis' self-titled debut exhibits his wide range of abilities, including songwriting, playing guitar, and singing. His choice of music is rather different than the typical Newsboys sound, displaying Davis' will to make his own sound heard. The modern rock/pop tracks are heavily laced with guitar, drums, and bass, with…
