Another stellar performance

TobyMac displays a sense of freedom with ‘The Elements’

I was absolutely thrilled to have the opportunity to listen to TobyMac’s latest project, “The Elements”, from Gotee Records.

Toby McKeehan, a veteran musician from his early years with the trio of DCTalk through his long-running solo career, says “The Elements” displays a sense of freedom.

“I let go of worrying about the charts and if I’m good enough – things that come along with the business of artistry …. The most important thing to me now is...‘does it make you feel something?’ And, is there a reason for it to exist in this world?”

“The Elements” opens with the title track, a compelling rap number that compares the elements of the world the Christian fights against in this life.

“When somebody has to walk through a desert or a storm, they are fighting the elements, fighting things that aren’t natural to themselves. Our lives are much the same. We’re fighting against these things every day, trying to remain true to who we are called to be.”

Throughout the rest of the project, McKeehan dips deep into the experiences of his life to communicate to his listeners.

“At some point, you have to look up and say, ‘If I’m not offering people some wisdom from the journey that I’ve been on, then I might as well hang up the cleats.’ It’s my responsibility to offer people wisdom from the road I’ve travelled.”

Unlike previous albums, this TobyMac effort features only one guest artist - Aaron Coles, on “Starts With Me”. Addressing the issue of racism, McKeehan and Coles craft a song that shares their unique perspectives on how they were raised.

Says the artist, “We say some bold things about ... the households we were raised in …. but at the end of the day we agreed on the importance of confession, repentance and forgiveness. And it has to start with me ..... These relationships are not the sole answer, but they will lead us to the answers.”

While “The Elements” is definitely a TobyMac project, with its fair share of high-energy numbers, this album has a more lowkey feel than fans may be used to from TobyMac. In the song, “Scars”, McKeehan made this choice deliberately.

“It’s the closest song to me on the record. I had a few people in mind when I wrote it, but subconsciously I started focusing on my first-born son. I’m very aware of the scars that come with life’s journey but sometimes we insulate those from our children — so to see them go out and there and do this real world is painful. I wanted to let him know that I’m here for him and even bigger than that, God is there for him. You are not alone — so lift your head up my son — to where your help comes from.”

As a TobyMac fan, I have to say I was very pleased with his latest effort. From the lighthearted energy of “Everything” to the encouraging words of “See the Light”, McKeehan’s integrity as a musician permeates “The Elements”. It is nothing less than fans would expect from this stellar artist.