Reviewed by Steve Hayes

This lively re-invention of his last album starts with "The Slam", an energetic tune pointing to Jesus, with a driving bassline and heavy guitars on the hook. T-Bone guests with some fast rhymes. A catchy song is "Getaway Car", where old skool breaks explode into a chorus with Ricky Martin overtones - honest! We journey through melodic chorus, ragga, rap and breakbeat in "Catchafire". The album features work that reminds me of some of the early dc Talk - such as "Burn For You". This is a vibrant rock song with TobyMac singing, "I want the world to know I burn for you.." This is a desire for the Holy Spirit to help him feel alive again. 'Renovating Diverse City' has plenty of pop rap elements, none more so than "Hey Now", a potentially successful commercial track reminding me of The Tribe. This has a blend of elements, letting us know there is "one love and one God." Another song with a pop rock edge is "Gone", which takes a look at difficulties in relationships. "Diverse City" brings a driving 4/4 beat with a vibe that is reminiscent of the Black Eyed Peas/Outkast. We find an almost 4th Avenue Jones style hip-hop rock tune in "Ill-M-I", a nice cut. The album proper ends with a definite Latino edge in "Atmosphere" - God is always waiting for us to turn back to him. There's also a bonus remix of "Burn For You" included on this fresh and diverse set of remixes.

The opinions expressed in this article are not necessarily those held by Cross Rhythms. Any expressed views were accurate at the time of publishing but may or may not reflect the views of the individuals concerned at a later date.

Interested in reviewing music? Find out more here.