Toby Mac- Welcome to Diverse City
    Toby Mac
   
   
Welcome To Diverse City

Track Listings
1. Hey Now
2. Catchafire (Whoopsi-Daisy)
3. The Slam
4. Poetically Correct
5. Atmosphere
6. Gone
7. TruDog: The Return
8. Diverse City
9. Stories (Down To The Bottom)
10. Getaway Car
11. Burn For You
12. Fresher Than A Night At The W
13. Ill-M-I
14. Phenomenon
15. Gotta Go
16. Atmosphere [remix]
 

Discography
Portable Sounds (2007)
Welcome To Diverse City (2004)
Re:mix Momentum (2003)
Momentum (2001)



   Grace Hotel
   Overall rating: +++-     

    

Album Reviews

Toby Mac's Diverse City is his second CD as a solo artist. His first CD, the Grammy-nominated Momentum, came out in 2001 with the song Extreme Days. Toby was part of the acclaimed trio DC Talk. DC Talk has won numerous awards, and has several platinum and gold albums. His solo work has taken him more to his roots as a hip-hop artist and closer to where DC Talk originated.

Diverse City is really a diverse CD. The style of the CD covers a broad range, mostly hip-hop, but also includes funk, punk and rock . It has an awesome beat and a great message. Nearly every song talks about knowing God in some way, mostly in an "I was lost, but now I am found" sort of way. The song "Gone" talks about how his friend was treating his girlfriend, and how he was chewing him out for it. "Stories" talk about the "stories" Toby has had in his walk with Christ.

My favorite songs are "Catchafire (Whoopsi Daisy)", "Gone", "Stories (Down to the Bottom)", "Getaway Car", and "Burn for You". I like them because they each have different beats and styles. "Catchafire" has a heavier, hip-hop beat and feel to it, but "Gone" is punk, in a style that is similar to Relient K. The title track, "Diverse City", is right out of the disco-funk era.

The song that really spoke to me was "Burn for You". It made me think about how my walk was going. In the song Toby sings about the change in his life after he met Jesus. He says "I'm a brand new man, I'm a conscious man." and also "I feel revived again... you got me lifted and lifted you lift me up." As I was singing along with the song, it started to sink in. I would replay the song over and over so maybe I could understand it better. These verses made me think that "this is how I was before I met Jesus too" or "this is how I feel now."

Another song that made me think was "Getaway Car." Some of the lyrics say "I need to get away; I need to spend some time with you again." And "I need a getaway car, I got to get out of here fast and far". It made me think of some of the surroundings in my life. I have a good family, but do I have good friends? I think this song opened my eyes to what is going on in my life every day. I had never thought about it, I always thought that nothing would ever happen to me. Now I realize that even the smallest things make the biggest difference.

Diverse City has great songs and beats through the whole CD. Fans of current popular styles will love the CD. I would recommend it to anyone. It was very encouraging to my spiritual life.

   ~Rachael Bolte

                                        

Toby Mac is back.

Throwin' down da beats is Toby's strength, the creative visionary behind DC Talk. So, can he eclipse his very successful "Momentum" from 2002?

By now, you've probably heard Gone on Q99.5 KZZQ. The song's about a relationship a friend of Toby's is in. Her boyfriend isn't treating her with the respect Toby believes he should. Gotta friend like that? You might find yourself nodding in agreement with this.

Speaking of friends, Superchick, Grits, and a lot of other talented artists help out on the songs, but the surprise has got to be the last cut- the remix of Atmosphere. Michael Tait and K-Max are back for the first DC Talk 'reunion' in 6 years. It's just one song to hold you over until they someday fulfill their contract for one last DC Talk album.

Sonically, "Welcome To Diverse City" is every bit what "Momentum" was. Roll down the windows, push the bass ALL the way up, and let it groove.

But- the earlier question- is it every bit of "Momentum?" Before I say no- I'll say it's mostly because the album's just different. More hip-hop, less guitar. There's an old school vibe outside of the song Gone that some will love, but some looking for another "Momentum" might not.

Either way, Toby's still got it.

Now it's up to you. I say go out - get it yourself. "Welcome To Diverse City" is here.

  ~Dave St.John                                          

 

This is the much awaited second album and it is fresh, fast-paced RnB, Hip Hop, Rap. The songs talk of the diverse nature of God’s Children and the highs and lows that Christians face. The songs are honest and Christian without being “in your face” and, though sometimes ambiguous in the way that the songs could be referring to God or a person, they contain real truth. The album will reach a Christian and non-Christian fan-base, and with a few quirky extras this is the album of choice!                                                       

 


Toby Mac (homepage)