Customer Reviews

Tonight

5 star:		(57)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(9)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Starting with dcTalk, and then going solo when the group disbanded in 2000, TobyMac still clings to such notions as hard work, persistence, patience and the power of music, which he insists is still what keeps him going. Tonight is easily the most anticipated new album of the new decade, and is truly amazing and a great way to start off the year. If you are a long-time Christian music fan, you'll hear that classic blend of rock, hip-hop and worship that made Jesus Freak one of the all-time greatest albums in the history of Christian music. Toby grabbed me immediately with opening track "Tonight," featuring John Cooper from Skillet, which is a techno-style rock song that rivals "Say The Words" by dcTalk, both in intensity and catchiness. Toby's vocals have never sounded better and he and John blend seamlessly as they both sing their hearts out on this fantastic opening song expressing our urgency for God. One theme that runs loud and clear throughout the album is the idea that we all need God, and we need him now, this morning, this afternoon, tonight. "Right here, right now / Under the stars / I promise You my heart / 'Cause it starts tonight," Toby sings on the chorus of the title track.

If you are looking for a hip-hop song in the style of "Made To Love," look no further than second song "Get Back Up." The melody and music is so catchy, I was bouncing in my seat as I listened to the song. "Funky Jesus Music" is next and I can't remember any album since Portable Sounds that has three opening tracks as strong and upbeat as the first three songs on Tonight. If the start of the album wasn't incredible enough, next comes Toby's GRAMMY-nominated song "City On Our Knees." "If you gotta start somewhere why not here? If you gotta start sometime why not now?" he asks on "City on Our Knees," which is a great song to cool down and worship before the next two songs get you moving again.

"ShowStopper" might actually live up to its pretty impressive title as it has even more grooves than "Boomin'," which was previously my favorite "party song" by Toby. The bridge "so rock me, drop me, but you will never stop me" sums up the energy level of this great song. "Changed Forever" has a confessional message and features some great guest vocals from Nirva Ready. "`Hold On' is very personal," Toby says. "Many lines are there to encourage my wife, but I know those lines could encourage anybody in a relationship. As for `Start Somewhere,' any time you're in love with somebody, you're going to bang heads from time to time. I don't know how many times I've been lying in bed, sweating it out and thinking, How am I going to make this right? But then you reach that moment of apology and forgiveness. And then there's "Wonderin'," in which Toby reminisces about the past with Kevin Max and Michael Tait in dcTalk I'm wonderin' 'bout the way I spend my days / Wonderin' if it's even worth the chase / Wonderin' if they're stealin' me from You." There's even a healthy dose of reggae on the album closer "Break Open the Sky," where Toby flexes his Jamaican family ties while Israel Houghton provides guest vocals. Other visiting vocalists include Relient K's Matthew Thiessen on "Wonderin'."

This is one of those albums that requires you to move your body along with the unbelievable hooks to truly "feel" the passion of these songs. Tonight should probably come with a warning label for people who get motion sickness. If these songs don't make you move, you may not have a pulse. Right now, this is the top Christian album of the year and the best overall album by tobyMac in my opinion. Tonight will certainly be holding a place in my top 10 albums of 2010.

Okay music fans! If you love music this is a great CD to have. If you have had a rough year & looking for God to speak to you & restore you & minister to you, this CD is a MUST!

Toby has been doing his thing for more than 20 years & I must say TMac I do not know how you do it but you have out done yourself again. You are not only writing good music, but tapping into God's heart & raising up an amazing future talent (go TruDog- I look forward to hearing more of you in the up & coming years).

Whatever you may be going through, God will use this music to minister to your soul!

Enjoy!

Well, I pre-ordered toby's newest "tonight" months ago and my expectations were high (and rightfully so, he usually delivers) but this one let me down. I noticed another reviewer commenting that these smell like b-sides; I concur. Toby usually raises his game from cd to cd and changes his style to keep it fresh but these songs just sound like a continuation of "Portable sounds", only not quite as good.

I had really looked forward to hearing what toby and Matt Theissen of Relient K would come up with in their collaboration, but their song "Wonderin" was really the largest swing and miss for me. Others that didn't quite connect with me were "Get back up" which is too similar to "I'm for you", and "Captured" which reminded me of "Burn for you". "Funky Jesus music" is the "Diverse city" of this album and "Showstopper" is just like "The slam", "Boomin", "Yours", and "Extreme days".

All is not lost though, the title track "Tonight" with John Cooper from Skillet is a major highlight, more of a driving techno rock feel. "City on our knees" is still a great song even though radio plays it to death. "Break open the sky" is Tobymac's nod to traditional reggae although Israel Houghton's appearance is forgettable. The horns in "Start Somewhere" are nice and tasty, and "Hey devil" is different enough from previous rock songs that Toby has done to keep it interesting.

As a long time fan of all the former Dc talk boys I really wanted to love this one, but I didn't see enough growth and risk to warrant more than a 3 star cd.

Say what you want about the Christian music community, but Toby has more talent in his left pinky than most of the mainstream dribble out there and "Tonight" shows us once again why Toby is THE front-runner of the CCM market. I have been a loooooong time Toby fan, dating all the way back to 92 with DC Talk's "Free At Last" came out and as much as I miss Kevin and Micheal the bands break-up gave us a diamond with Toby's solo career (and Im glad to see the other guys still in the industry).

Tonight feels a lot like Portable Sounds, and that's not a bad thing at all. It showcases Toby's signature style, creating a multi-genre uplifting record with personal lyrics, catchy tunes, and amazing production value. The title track is just about the most-perfect pop/rock song I have ever heard and John Coopers vocals fit perfectly. You get a little of everything here and it's all good stuff. Even Truet's (Toby's son) song is better than the last and the ending dialogue is hillarious.

"Portable Sounds" peaked at #10 on the Billboard 200, I will be shocked if "Tonight" doesn't hit the top 5. BUY IT NOW!

Catchy beats, heartfelt and uplifting lyrics, and a diverse collection of songs is the best way to describe Tonight. Toby has experimented with hip hop, R&B, funk, soul, rock, and pop, and he has pulled off all of these genres like a pro in every album he puts out. It is clear that Toby has once again put his heart and soul into each of the songs found on Tonight.

The album kicks off with the self titled song which boasts guest vocals from John Cooper of Skillet. I'm amazed how well Cooper's raspy and urgent voice fits into this song. It's a rock song in every sense of the word with a great beat, great guitar work, and a chorus that is guaranteed to be stuck in your head. Get Back Up is a catchy pop/rock song with a positive message that is encouraging to anyone who has ever fallen on their face.

Possibly the greatest "ballad" Toby has written since becoming a solo artist, City On Our Knees is borderline epic. "Love will fall to the earth like a crashing wave. Tonight's the night, for the sinners and the saints, two worlds collide, in a beautiful display. It's our love tonight, when we step across the line, we can sail across the sea, to a city with one King, a city on our knees." This is a perfect example of some of TobyMac's skills as a songwriter.

Showstopper is one of the highlights of the album, and it might even be my favorite TobyMac song. It's extremely catchy, nice drums, guitars, and is sure to get the crowd moving. I could easily see this song being Toby's opening song at his shows.

LoudNClear is a song by Toby's son Truett who goes by the artist persona TruDog. He has appeared on every studio album, including the two remixes, and it might be time to break that tradition. Truett's raps used to be cute and amusing, but on this release, it is no longer cute, and just seems out of place. This song is the only song that makes you reach for the skip button after multiple listens.

Hey Devil is the second highlight of the album. It's a funky rock song that has a great dance beat. It is the first and only song off the album that can't be compared to another TobyMac song. Wonderin', although one of the weaker songs off the album, is still a fun listen. It has a poppy chorus with rapped bridges. Matthew Thiessen of Relient K makes a guest appearance, but you really wouldn't know unless you were listening for his voice. He fills the role of background vocals nicely, but I feel like he should have had a more important part in the song.

Start Somewhere is definitely a highlight. It's a diverse song in itself, and very hard to classify. It has some orchestration, clapping, gunshots, some jazz, and for some reason I get a subtle Latino vibe to the whole song, especially at the end of the song. Does anyone else get that vibe? Break Open The Sky, is a good R&B song in itself, but Toby is known to go out with a bang. Break Open The Sky doesn't have the same effect as a closer as the DC Talk reuniting song Atmosphere [Remix], or anti-materialistic Lose My Soul.

This is a truly enjoyable collection of songs that has a great replay value. Toby has once again created an amazing album. He continues to put out fun, catchy, and uplifting songs with clever and honest lyrics. My only hope is that we don't have to wait another three years for another full length studio release.

Great no surpises. With Toby Mac you always know what to expect and he delivers the goods.Lots of energy a positive message without heavy-handedness.

First of all, I am a huge fan of Tobymac, as well as his alumnus dc Talk. I will primarily comparing this album to Portable Sounds (check out my review over there) since it's the only other full Tobymac album I have. This album is much electronic than PS, it also has better rap and lots of it. Portable Sounds has very little in the way of rap. There are also better guest appearances on this album. Toby's faith is shown clearly on this masterpiece. PS was more guitary, whereas Tonight is much more hip-hop, rap sounding. Here is a song breakdown:

Tonight feat. John Cooper of Skillet: A decent opener, the tune is pretty catchy. The lyrics are about turning back to Christ for your faith. Toby really boned in one area though. John Cooper doesn't have his own verse!!! You can hear him in the chorus, quite clearly if you pay attention, because his voice distinctly gravelly. Other than that, this one is great.

Get Back Up: Comparable to Face of the Earth from PS, or Death Story from After the Music Stops by Lecrae. Nice beat, with lots of drumming. Lyrics are being down and out, and God helping you get back into life.

Funky Jesus Music feat. Beckah Shae and Siti Monroe: Amazing song! Very electronic sound. Sweet beat. The ladies do a phenomenal job with the chorus and intro. Siti Monroe also appeared in "One World" from PS. About not wanting to listen to secular, non-God-honoring music, but rather, "that funky Jesus Music". Lyrics are similar to "Jesus Muzik" by Lecrae.

City On Our Knees: This is the highly acclaimed single released several months ago. A very slow, soft beat. Fewer drums. About the sharing the Gospel, and then going with all the believers to "a city on our knees" (heaven), "with one king" (God). Really nice incorporation of some strings in the second verse. I'm not so sure that this is the exact version released in August, because this one is longer. Similar lyrics to "One World" from Portable Sounds.

ShowStopper: This song is phenomenal!!!! The best rap from Toby on this album. This is the only song that has extended use of guitars. Whenever I listen to this song, I am reminded of the old Nu Thang days twenty years ago (think "Walls"). About missions. Similar lyrics to Lecrae's "Send Me".

Changed Forever feat. Nirva Ready: Nifty song. Nirva is great on the chorus. Not really like anything I've ever heard before, but still great. About coming face-to-face with Jesus, and being changed forver. Nice hip-hop beat. This song is the only other one that really incorporates guitars.

Hold On: The intro is a great little pipe organ solo. No rap, but Toby shows his vocal talent. About a friend who's down in the dumps, and Toby tells her that he still loves her, and that God does too, with an unchanging love, and that the two of them need to follow Him. Similar, lyrically, to "I'm for You" from PS.

Loud 'n' Clear (truDog '10): Oh, man, truDog rocks! He is AWESOME! He's a big reason why Toby's albums rank so highly with me. This is the first truDog that I really felt was a song, and not just a little kid messing around in his dad's studio. This kid has a bright future ahead of him in the CCM industry.

Hey Devil: This is a really great song, essentially telling Satan to get his conniving rear outta here. Whenever I listen to this song I continually think "Newsboys". It could possibly be a sort of tribute, since dc Talk took Newsboys under their wing when they (Newsboys) came to the States, and now Toby's former band member Michael Tait is the lead singer of the 'Boys. If you've heard "Giving it Over" from Thrive by the Newsboys, you'll have a sense of how this song sounds.

Wonderin' Feat. Matthew Thiessen: Essentially a bio of Toby, from DCT to now. Softer and slower. Matt Thiessen, of Relient K, doesn't have his own verse, but he still does a good job.

Captured: A really neat song. A bit slower, but the lyrics are great. They're about being captured by Christ's glory. The best song lyrically on the entire album.

Start Somewhere: This song is sweet! A catchy Mexican-sounding tune, complete with trumpets and everything. About a struggling relationship. Toby says that God is the only one that can help the realationship get better.

Break Open The Sky feat. Israel Houghton: Toby teams up again with Israel (they produced a song for CompassionArt) to round out this album, except for the remixes. Essentially a prayer that Jesus would come back to earth, and take all the Christians home. Israel has his own verse (surprise), which he performs well. Slower, but still good.

City on Our Knees (Radio Edit) Not much to say here. A slight change in sound, and for the better, in my opinion.

I got the deluxe version, so here's the review of the extra songs that came with it.

Captured (KP Reimix) A bit more upbeat than the original, with the same lyrics.

Hold On (Telemitry Remix) More electronic that the original. I think it's better.

Tonight (New Day Remix) A downgrade from the original. It flows more smoothly though.

Overall, this is a great album. Don't neccesarily think that because you liked Portable Sounds, you'll like this. It's completely new and different. Enjoy!

Wow. Tobymac has delivered again. I liked every song on this album and cannot get enough of it. I love the variety, from rock sounding tracks such as "Tonight" and "Showstopper" to slower songs such as the wonderful "City On Our Knees" to the 80's rock sound in "Hey Devil," to the funk of "Funky Jesus Music." Then, you get reggae in there in "Break Open the Sky." I liked LoudNClear(Trudog 10) as well. For me, Trudog has gone from cute to cool. The only part of the album I didn't like was the hidden song at the end of the last track. It just sounded kinda stupid to me. If you don't know what I'm talking about, leave the cd on for a bit after "Breaking Open the Sky" finishes. This is very minor, however, and I loved the album as a whole. I think this was possibly my favorite of his albums, in fact. Get it for yourself. You won't be dissapointed.

Tobymac has hit it out of the park once again. Produced by Tobymac, Christopher Stevens, Dave Wyatt and Jamie Moore, it's a fresh and current wave of rock, hip hop, pop, and Tobymac's own brand of funky. It grabs you from the first note to make you dance and think about life and the relationship we can have with God. These hot songs will encourage, challenge and entertain. The pieces come together on this record for an out-of-this-world mix. Enjoy the ride!

Tonight is one of those CDs that you have to listen to a few times in order for it to stick. My initial response was "not as good" as previous tobyMac tracks, but as I have listened to it more and more I am loving it more and more.

The title track "Tonight" is probably the best. I'm not especially a fan of the Jamaican sound in "Hold On".

Still I love the message that Toby holds close to his heart. And as long as toby is putting out the music, I'll get my freak on!