Nouveaux has headed on tour with Benson-labelmate Michael Sweet and released their debut, Beginnings. The band's music also resembles that of Sweet, as well as that of White Heart and Whitecross.
The album opens with "We Believe," an anthemic rocker which gives a taste of the band's characteristic backing vocals. Paul Alan, who wrote or co-wrote most of the songs, plays keyboard and sings on most of the songs with a style similar to those of Richard Marx or Scott Wenzel. Guitarist Steve Ashley sings lead on "All That Glitters," the song with the album's heaviest guitar crunch. The rest of the band (Kurt Lehman on bass, K. C. Smothers on lead guitar, with drummer Brad Angus) split up the rest of the writing and backing vocal duties.
Four of the album's ten songs are ballads, most notably "Hurt So Bad," a cleverly-written tune about the pain after a breakup, a topic not covered enough in the Christian realm; and the Smitty-esque "Across the Miles" featuring David Zaffiro, a song about faraway friendship. Tony Palacios is also featured and plays guitar in the White Heart-influenced "A Time to Cry."
Nothing too original here, but this is a group with a lot of talent and catchy hooks which make for a very enjoyable listen-a very worthy first effort.
Other coverage for this album
Heaven's Metal #50Reviewed by Doug Van PeltHey! Hoe! Nobody told me that Def Leppard liked Christian music! Nouveaux, although their own band, sound like they've logged several hours listening to their Hysteria CD's. Big 'n' wide haromonies atop simple pop metal rhythms are the order de Nouveaux. Finished just prior to hitting the road with Michael Sweet, this album is chuck full of good melodic songs. While in Australia, Walter Harnisch,…
