Toby Mac - Enough Talk

Enough Talk

Welcome to Diverse City (Gotee Records)

TobyMac

By Kory Wilcoxson No doubt the draw for many music fans to Welcome to Diverse City will be the reunion of Christian supergroup dc talk on the last track of the disc, "Atmosphere." That's shame, because the hype surrounding this reunion could overshadow a strong second album from TobyMac.

TobyMac was the hip-hop element in dc talk, but as the band moved toward a pop sound, his contribution became less substantial. On his first two solo albums, TobyMac has returned to his roots and embraced his eclectic and inclusive love of diverse musical styles. The result this time around is an album that has a little flavor for every taste without ever becoming bland.

Ironically, the weakest tracks on Diverse City are the ones that sound most like a dc talk song. TobyMac shines when he's offering loopy dance numbers ("Hey Now"), razor-sharp rhymes ("Catchafire"), or '70s-style groove-fests ("Getaway Car"). He also brings in a variety of guests, which extend the "everybody's welcome" feel of Diverse City. The best guest shot comes from Superchick, which adds pop sensibilities to "Stories (Down to the Bottom)."

Oh, that dc talk reunion? It sounds just like that band's last effort, Supernatural. It also is a reminder that, for all of dc talk's success, TobyMac has been groomed to make music even more substantial.