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Release Date: February 20, 2007 Label: Forefront Records Related Sites: · Official Site · E-Card Grade: B+

"Made to Love" is the first single and -- in addition to saturating the airwaves of Christian radio -- has already topped Billboard's Hot Christian Songs chart. The radio-friendly pop hit maintains a hip-hop groove while it thematically reminds the listener of "the big picture": "You were here before me/You were waiting on me/And you said You'd keep me/Never would You leave me/I was made to love/And be loved by You."

Live horns, strings and tambourine greet you in the opening "One World", with a Motown-feel that jump-starts things right away. In describing God looking down upon people sharing His creation, "Wondering what the dilly with the silly I see?/When I made each of these in the image of me," is a line only TobyMac could get away with. It's a soulful desire for a diverse world to serve one another... and you can dance to it.

Just when you think TobyMac might not rock out like on Jesus Freak, he name-drops the title track to dc Talk's seminal masterpiece and hits you with the aggressive "Boomin'". It also features a line that could well sum up TobyMac in 25 words or less: "I got a hand full of dreams and a heart full of God." "Ignition" fires up the engines with a torrent of all-out rock.

It's the more personal tunes that really stand out. "Face of the Earth" is musically rooted in Adult Contemporary pop, but features a conversational rap as it tells the story of someone offering Christ's invitation ("Open up the door to life/Behold I stand at the door and knock/If anyone hears my voice and opens the door/I will come in') to a wayward friend. "Suddenly" is a lively tune that imparts that grace is still available amidst the brokenness of divorce:

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Sometimes there's nothing left but to believe
Sometimes it's in an instant
Sometimes we wait for years
But it comes down to the moment when faith eclipses fear
Your wandering is over
The other side is real
You've broken through
Your mountain moved
And mercy is revealed
His mercy is revealed, yeah

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The concluding anthem, "Lose My Soul" is an honest assessment of the trappings of fame and misplaced allegiances ("America has no more stars now we call them idols"). It features a second-verse rap by fellow CCM artist Kirk Franklin and bridge by Mandisa (about the only American Idol finalist from last season who hasn't released a record, though that's soon to change with an upcoming May debut).

"Hype Man" features the continuing story of Tru-Dog, alter ego of McKeehan's son Truett. It's an interval that rather breaks the flow of the album, as do several other interludes stuck on the end of songs. They're amusing enough the first couple of times, but grow a bit tedious upon repeat listening. The "Opera Trip Interlude" at the end of the blistering "Boomin'" is a particularly jarring contrast.

The inexplicable "No Signal" is a thankfully-short Reggae number that serves no purpose that I can ascertain. It's about the only blip on an otherwise stellar showcase that subtly strays from TobyMac's basic formula. "Portable Sounds" has quick appeal and a variety of styles to suit changing moods, which is what makes you take notice in the first place.