Do not confuse the song with the album of the same name that I’ve already reviewed.
This song just gets my heart pumping and makes me want to move. I am always tapping my toes with the beat.
Also, I like the way it’s saying “it starts tonight!” like a challenge. It just makes a great song to start the new year off with.
The music video and lyrics are after the jump.
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TobyMac’s new CD has been a long time coming and it was definitely worth the wait in my opinion. He has improved from each album to the next and this is no exception. He also seems to keep changing his hip-hop style on each CD.
Here’s the breakdown.
Sound/Music
I love the music on this CD. From the upbeat pop rock sounds of Tonight to the retro style of Funky Jesus Music to the mellow-but-intense hip-hop of Captured there’s nothing not to like on this album. Toby truly keeps to his Diverse City philosophy with his music.
Lyrics/Message
As always, his lyrics are awesome. The only drop in quality I found was in Showstopper, which doesn’t seem to have a message like the rest of his music, but it’s still a fun song.
Favorite Songs
I love the entire CD, but my absolute favorite songs are as follows:
Overall, it’s an awesome CD. I don’t give out 5 star reviews often so when I do, you should definitely see what I’m talking about.
This CD is a lot more laid back in it’s style than any previous tobyMac CD. I kept waiting for songs like Yours or The Slam to come up and the closest there are to those are Boomin’ and Ignition – and they are far less rock than either of their predecessors. That does not mean that they aren’t great songs from a great CD, however.
The almost overwhelming theme of Portable Sounds is Love. You hear it in just about every single song. From Made to Love to Suddenly to Feelin’ so Fly, it’s all about Love. It’s a theme that may seem overdone, but it is much needed. In a world that waters love down until it means nothing at all, we need to hear what Love really is – powerful, real, healing, unconditional and unchanging. Portable Sounds brings this to us in a way that you can listen to in your easy chair or get up and dance to.
The music is a perfect blend of styles so just about anyone can listen and enjoy it. I know there are some people who can’t stand the way most of my music sounds (reading this dad?), but I think even they could enjoy some of the music on this CD. In fact, at least two songs from this CD will be in Ashley’s and my wedding reception later this year. Made to Love and No Ordinary Love for those who are curious.
Anyways, it’s a great CD and anyone who likes tobyMac or just plain good music will enjoy it. My favorite songs are Boomin’, No Ordinary Love, Ignition, Suddenly, Feelin’ So Fly and Hype Man. Gotta love the interludes, too. “Man who told you about my rash?” “Don’t add paint to a masterpiece.” “You so crazy Toby.”
Come spark the parts of me that all but died. Jumpstart the heart and wake the sleeper inside. Hold up the flag ’cause it’s ride or die!
Did you ever hear a song early in the morning, and you just had to turn it up louder then normal to listen to it? And it kind of described how you want approach the day or said something you wanted to remember all day? I had two songs like that this morning. Relient K’s “Pressing On” and TobyMac’s “Yours.”
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Toby has said that as dcTalk progressed away from the hip hop music (like “Free at Last”) it was painful for him. Well, he got his chance to express himself with Momentum; hip hop at it’s best.
He opens with the aptly named song “Get This Party Started.” And in case you’re wondering whether he did this for himself or for God, one of the lines in there is “So Father most High won’t you show yourself, and shine on this record like nobody else.”
The next one surprised me when I first heard it. You’re greeted by a familiar tune if you’ve ever listened to oldies.
After that, there’s “Irene.” If you need a little encouragement, this is your song.
Next in the lineup is Toby’s Mac, one of the 4 interludes on this CD. It features a computerized voice asking “Where’re my freaks?”
“J Train” takes you on a more gospel style ride next. Kirk Franklin joins T-Mac for this one.
The next one was written for Tru-Dog (TobyMac’s 3 year-old son, Truett) and meant to ask “Do You Know” where you are going in life, and do you like life is showing you.
Now the next track is, IMHO, the best interlude of the bunch. Tru-Dog hits the mic and raps until TobyMac tells him to get out of the studio. If you haven’t heard it, you need to! 
Then we move right into “Momentum.” Toby tells us in this one that we’ve got momentum, cause we’ve (Christians) “been on a roll for two-thousand years or so.”
My favorite song on this CD is the next one: “Yours.” It’s fast, it’s heavy, it relates to me what our attitude should be.
The next track is a mock-up radio interview with T-Mac which rolls right into “Wonderin’ Why.” In this song he answers the question “why go back to the rap and hip hop?”
“Somebody’s Watching” reminds us that God’s got our back whether we realise it or not. So we needn’t worry about what the world says about us.
Again the computerized voice appears and this time he’s ordering some dirty-bean water (in case you didn’t notice, I don’t like coffee 
).
On a lighter note, “Love Is In The House” lets us know that when God’s love in in the house, it’s “packed like a baby nine months in the womb.”
Then he picks up the pace with “Extreme Days.” A fast and furious song that lays out the message that extreme days require extreme faith.
We hit another interlude, “Don’t Bring Me Down,” at this point. Then move right into “In The Air,” a coversational look at witnessing.
Then we hit the end of the CD with a lighter reprise of “Do You Know.”
All-in-all I think it’s one of the best CDs I’ve ever heard. It’s currently my favorite and probably will stay near the top in coming years.
