Tobymac’s new record Tonight releases February 9, 2010 and is the highly anticipated follow up to the best-selling album Portable Sounds. Continuing Toby’s unique ability to blend musical influences Tonight has an amazing mix of rock, pop, urban and hip hop sounds and styles. It features the smash hit single “City On Our Knees” which has topped the radio airplay and digital single charts faster than any other Tobymac single, and is currently Top 5 at AC radio and #1 at CHR radio.
“'City on our Knees' is really about a moment,” says Toby. “A moment that we all come together to a place where there’s no judgment, but really love. And we choose to recognize one God together. And it’s really a reminder that that moment could be right now, tonight. And in that moment judgment falls by the wayside, we choose to step across the line, whatever side we’re on. Love fills in the cracks and makes up the difference.”
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01.
Tonight (featuring John Cooper of Skillet)
02.
Get Back Up
03.
Funky Jesus Music (featuring Beckah Shae And Siti Monroe)
04.
City On Our Knees
05.
ShowStopper
06.
Hey Devil
07.
Hold On
08.
Changed Forever (featuring Nirva Ready)
09.
Loud n Clear (TruDog 10)
10.
Wonderin (featuring Matt Thiessen of Relient K)
11.
Captured
12.
Start Somewhere
13.
Break Open The Sky (featuring Israel Houghton)
14.
City On Our Knees (Radio Version) (Digital Bonus)
best| Posted February 10, 2010
I think that this album by far is Toby's best album. He has changed his style a bit and really made this work for him. The songs have great lyrics and he did a great job with the featured artists. I think that this will be his best selling album.
'Cause it starts tonight!!!| Posted February 10, 2010
tobyMac has been a force to be reckoned with ever since his days with dcTalk and with the release of his 4th solo album, tobyMac brings in the hits again.
When I first heard his single "City On Our Knees" I was a little disappointed because I fell in love with the sound of "Made To Love", "I'm For You", and "Burn For You". It took quite a bit of listens for me to actually like this song but now that I've heard the album version I really love the song! There are subtle, minor differences between the radio edit and the album version but it is so much more enjoyable!
Kicking the album off with "Tonight" featuring the famous rocker, John Cooper, this track could be the highlight of the album. Cooper's vocals compliment the edgy tone of the song while still maintaining a tobyMac feel. It's not too much Skillet and not too much tobyMac, the best of both worlds! "Get Back Up", "Showstopper", "Changed Forever" feels a lot like a sequel to Portable Sounds but that's what made tobyMac so liked by the general public. They are hits I'll listen to many times over and over again! "Hey Devil" is great lyrically, as with many of toby's songs, and brings a new feel to the album. "Wonderin'" featuring Matthew Thiessen is a refreshing mix of Relient K's piano driven style and tobyMac's genius lyrics. Of course with any albums there are those hit and misses. For me "LoudNClear" was alright at first but I couldn't handle listening to it 50 times. "Funky Jesus Music" was too cheesy but I still love the song musically just not lyrically. I mean seriously "we got the funky Jesus blazer"??? Must you use those lyrics? The reggae styling of "Break Open The Sky" featuring Israel Houston just didn't stick with me.
Overall this album has amazing songs especially the ones that feature the famous frontmen of Relient K and Skillet. The two songs sounds like a mix of the band and tobyMac without feeling too much like Relient K, Skillet, or tobyMac.
This is definitely an album worth purchasing (I'd get the deluxe edition though :D) and playing over and over again. tobyMac does it again with his amazing lyrics and hip-hop flavor that he brings to the christian music community.
Although it's not the best album tobyMac has put out, this is a strong second.
Highlights: "Tonight", "Get Back Up", "Changed Forver", "Hey Devil", "Wonderin'"
Once Again| Posted February 09, 2010
Toby Mac has once again produced a steller album. You just know what you are going to get with Toby and he sure did not disapoint with this one. About the time I think i'm going to pick a favorite on the cd the next song makes me go huh. What i'm saying here is it's all good baby. This may be his best yet like I said it's all good. I hate to say any of his stuff is better than something because I love just about everything he has ever done. But Tonight wow press the play button and let her go because there aint a bad song on the cd.
Unbelievable!| Posted February 08, 2010
I don't write many reviews. But when that album has such a huge effect on me than there is no way I can be silent! Toby's new album is amazing. I always thought, Momentum was good, Diverse City was great, Portable Sounds was amazing, so what will Tonight be like? How could Toby improve from Portable Sounds? How can you do better than amazing? Tonight takes the next step forward. My personal favorites are Tonight, Get Back Up, Funky Jesus Music, and Hold On. Hold On moves my heart because it speaks of a very similar relationship in my life. Most of his songs are easy to relate and/or dance/groove to. This is a great album! Arguably the top album of the year, possibly the decade! So rock on Jesus Freaks!
toby cranks up the heat| Posted February 08, 2010
So far this will be the biggest release for the season. Toby always brings his original funky tunes to the market and this is no different. If you like toby you will love tonight...if you don't like his style of music you probably wont care for this project.
For me i love the beats of his new tunes. Don't find many christian artist's that have his unique vibe. Love how he is all over the charts with his music rock/rap/hip-hop/jamician sound, slower tunes...he loves to mix it up which i will always applaud him for.
I agree with a few people that his lyrics aren't the best on this project but the music is so catchy who cares. I think he does have some great lyrics on this mix, but a few songs did seem to lack.
Many of the songs speaks to me on my own journey thought life. Get Back Up is one that relates to me well. I have felt beat up and knocked down the past few years but this song reminds me to never lose the faith and get back up.
Hey Devil is a catchy tune that talks about temptation...another topic i think many of us go though.
Funky Jesus Music is probably the catchiest song on the project.
Also a fan of Hold On, ShowStopper,Start Somewhere, and Tonight.
Don't think it is his best work to date because up to this point i loved all 3 projects start to finish. This project found a few that didn't work for me. Overall I love the project but towards the end it starts to lose a little steam for me. Captured, Break Open The Sky, Changed Forever are a few songs that I didn't care for.
Also wasn't a fan of trudog this time around (in the past loved his stuff but his feature wasn't as cute as when he was younger) Even though I didn't care for a few songs I can appreciate his unique style he brings to each song.
Overall this project is amazing and find many songs that surpass his previous projects...just a few tunes didn't work for me. He continues to crank up the tunes and leaves me wanting more. Wish more christian artists would deliver a similar style in music because it seems to be lacking in the christian market.
I pre-bought it 2 months ago!!!| Posted February 04, 2010
I pre-bought this album like 2 months before its release date....the wait for this CD is very long but it will all be worth it in the end. I previewed some of the songs on iTunes and I just cannot wait until I ca get my hands on the CD. Especially since Matthew Thiessen sings with tobyMac in one of the songs!!!
Wow...| Posted February 03, 2010
I had no idea he had a new CD coming out. I have been looking forward to new songs from him for a long while now. I'm excited to get this CD into my iTunes!!
:)| Posted May 18, 2010
I used to cringe a little whenever “Lose My Soul” came on the radio. It was like the song that wouldn’t die.
Every week I used to listen to CCM Radio Magazine, and every week it was somewhere in the top 5.
(Funny I didn’t get tired of “Give Me Your Eyes”; it topped the list for, what was it, 14 weeks in a row?) Up to
this point, the only tracks I’d heard out of Tobymac didn’t make much of an impression on me. Needless
to say, Tonight was not I was expecting. In these 13 compelling tracks, you’ll find honesty, faith, passion
and humor.
One neat thing about this album is there are plenty of duets. In fact, it begins with one; the rock-infused
"Tonight" featuring John Cooper of Skillet, whose voice doesn't GRRRR so much. You got to wonder how
they picked the song order on this album, because this one's about surrender. And that's where you've
got to start. Nice. Matthew Thiessen is a great addition to "Wonderin'". I already liked his guest vocals on
John Reuben's "Nuisance" and enjoyed this song of musing about what's next in God's plan. A little
acoustic guitar fix is a good thing. You’ll also find a touching testimony in “Changed Forever” (with Nirva
Ready) of a life changed because of God’s love.
"City On Our Knees", the released-well-in-advance single, is an ethereal "(wor)'ship-hop" (you heard it
here first![?]) song that pictures everyone coming together as the body of Christ. If the next single isn't
"Get Back Up", I'll be surprised. A music video-ready, radio-friendly song that reassures the lost and
afraid that you can always come back again. With the last lines “This is love callin,’ love callin,’ /Out to the
broken this is love callin’” I picture someone picking up a ringing phone. “Hold On” is a pop-hop in the
same vein, except it’s addressed specifically to a girl.
The unusual title “Hey Devil” may cause some of you to do a double-take; the song is actually Toby telling
Satan to get lost and quit tempting him. Little unconventional to say it quite that way, but it gets the point
across. A lot of electric guitar on this one. If you’re expecting “LoudNClear” to be a whole song, it’s
actually a short track starring one of his kids(?). I couldn’t help smiling.
A winsome combination of faith, hope, love, and fun, Tonight will leave you with a smile on your lips and a
beat that won’t let go long after you press the stop button. (And that’s without putting the album on
repeat!!)
And now for an original RAP-vue:
Maybe I’m just a Canadian girl
Hardly know squat ‘bout the hip-hop world
Got thoughts worth sharing, done well, done right
Reviewin’ what’s new with Tobymac’s Tonight
Yeah, don’t usually send it to you this way
Got creation flippin’ out my head today
Cuz I hearin’ this tune that just won’t stop
It’s alive in my head let it rise to the top
(Here we go)
“Tonight” yes me like cuz surrender’s the theme
‘Bout wantin’ what’s real from a God unseen
Cooper’s voice in the b/g; can you beat that?
Loses the “argh” for the sake of the act
Liftin’ spirits now with playin’ “Get Back Up”
Madio fo’ radio, say love’ll be enough
Single we’ve been hearing long, “City On Our Knees”
No surprise WOW chose it cuz we knows its peace
In a world now frenetic
It’s practically prophetic
If you don’t get it
You’re gonna regret it
“Hey Devil” a kick to the curb
Like he been asking give me the bad word
Don’t flaunt your apple
Just shut your trap, y’all
“Hold On” slowing down to say wait where y’are
Dontcha know hope’s homing in on your heart?
Testimony ‘tween the lines “Changed Forever”
Speaks a life wrong-track leaving
Ties with lies they all severed
Throwaway maybe to some, “LoudNClear”
Would we’ver think to give these kids an ear?
Found it adorable, me; changa paces
(Advice: don’t say that word to their faces
‘Less you’re some kinda cheek-pinchin’ auntie
If you do, runnin’ shoes come in handy!)
“Wonderin’” ‘s sweet and I ain’t teasin’
Bringin’ out a way cool side o’ Thiessen
‘Coustic string twang don’t hurt no way
Restrospect, smacks of regrets what to say
These are my faves, there’s a few other flaves
I’ll cut to the chase let me say that I rave
And if you no likee how this proj is done
Blame my vocab, should be me you go shun
Swipe your card, type the PIN, or just slam down some cash
Ain’t gonna be dumpin’ your bucks in the trash
Tonight is not tobyMac's night| Posted February 25, 2010
tobyMac has made his fans wait for three years and now he releases a subpar album. The worst song being Funky Jesus Music. Really Toby? The songs seem to drift away from his usual theological raps in to almost I'm the star listen because I am. He needs to return to Loose My Soul and Made to Love. The only good song is City On Our Knees.
It's an "Ok" album| Posted January 28, 2010
So I heard a preview:
These are just my initial thoughts based on what I've heard:
Tonight (w/ John Cooper) is [b]actually a pretty cool song[/b]. It's got a pretty cool driving "techno'ish" beat to it.
Get Back Up- I don't like it. It's cliche. Good message but overused words
Funky Jesus Music- [b]I like the music[/b]. I will overlook the lyrics. "soul gumbo" . "Funky Jesus Music" "Juicy flow" No sir. I feel like i should be wearing velour sweatpants with "Juicy" written on the backside. :shock:
City ON Our Knees- ya'll all know what I think about this song: no need to re-hash it
:roll:
SHowstopper- I don't like it- when you have to find words that end in "opper" just to make a chorus- ugh
CHanged Forever- I like the verses- the chorus will grow on me
Hold On- haha the autotune on "hold on" just made me think of autotune the news on youtube
The rap by his son: same thing: autotune the news
Hey Devil: BAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA this is a updated CARMAN! haha. that's all i could think of. bahahahah
Wonderin' - [b]I like it.[/b] but I'm biased because I love when Matt THeissen shows up in tracks
Captured- it's ok
Start Somewhere- oh man, I really want to like Tobymac. But the music never went anywhere. It was just latin to be latin- there was no point.
Break Open the Sky- it's a cool jam but it's lyrics consist of OOOOH OOOOH OOOH OOOH OOH- I'd have to hear more.
I really want to like Tobymac. but he always just seems alittle late on the music scene with things like autotune or certain beats- I could name ten other artists who have used the elements that He has used in this album in better ways and produced better music.
That being said- it is a "good" album for CCM. it will do them justice and keep him as CCM's "rocksoulhipfunkalicious-i'm-so-cool-i-can-where-scarves-in-july" guy.
Raised a bar or set a standard? No.
I think that he has musical potential and could be a really great artists. but he's got to leave key phrases and key song arrangements from previous albums off new albums.
to add lyrics if not listed.
