Five years ago, the Newsboys released their first full-length remix project, aptly titled Newsboys Remixed, which featured new techno and dance mixes of selections from several Newsboys albums. Now less than a year since the release of their latest pop album, Go, nearly the entire record has been remixed to comprise their second remix LP, dubbing the project Go | Remixed.

Go | Remixed contains new mixes of ten of the eleven tracks from the original album ("The Letter" excluded), and a remix of a selection from the "Limited Edition" version of the project ("City To City"). The end result is a lean, fresh dance mix compilation of the latest the now-quartet has to offer. Many remix projects are tiresome from the start - often boasting several mixes of a single, standout track, or wearing out a favorite by making it overly redundant and repetitious, or just dragging it out much too long. Go | Remixed takes the wise route of recreating new takes on the songs without beating them into the ground. "Wherever We Go" may suffer from the unnecessary inclusion of a high-pitched (and therefore relatively irritating), squeaky vocal in the background of the verses, but the funky beat offers a retro techno feel that is fun, even if it feels like it could have been explored a bit further.

Go | Remixed combines the efforts of four different producers/artists to reinvent the originals. Seven of the eleven tracks go to Lee Bridges, while producer Tedd T. stirs up two, and Superchick founder Max Hsu and Newsboy keyboardist Jeff Frankenstein each get one a piece. Bridges' mixes are probably a bit simpler in form, but when he gets ahold of the previously fast "Something Beautiful" and slows it down tremendously to let it groove, you have to appreciate the man's production skills. Hsu, who's no rookie to remixes (having done treatments for both a Superchick record and for his previous band Church Of Rhythm), gives the rap-pop "Your Love Is Better Than Life" an anthemic and somewhat theatrical double take with the "St. Petersburg Mix," adding strings and a beat that is too infectious to sit still through. Tedd T. gets his hands on "City To City," giving it a bit of a funky old school hip hop flair. It's got more of the original Newsboys feel that will make longtime fans especially tickled to hear. Frankenstein takes on one of Go's most memorable songs, "In Wonder," and gives it a rather simple yet especially effective groove. "Let It all Come Out" gets a cool synth intro, but it just doesn't seem to mesh well with the song's rhythm and basically feels fairly mismatched. Peter Furler's vocals just seem too relaxed in the song's verses for Bridges' efforts. "Gonna Be Alright" gets relatively similar unfit treatment, while the title track is given a fun and upbeat update.

It may seem a little premature to be revisiting this great pop record so soon after release, and although the end result may be a bit mixed (no pun intended), there's enough fun to have with Go | Remixed to satisfy the diehard Newsfans. If you're not ready yet to shell out the funds for mere alternate takes of the same songs you purchased back at the end of October, there isn't much of a reason to rush out and pick this one up. However, Go | Remixed remains to be a mostly memorable remix project.

- Review date: 5/6/07, written by John DiBiase