''Christmas in Diverse City'' is

TobyMac Toby McKeehan (born Kevin Michael McKeehan; October 22, 1964), better known by his stage name TobyMac (styled tobyMac or TOBYMAC), is an American contemporary Christian music singer, rapper, songwriter, and record producer. He was first known f ...

's first full-length Christmas album as well as his fifth studio album. It was released on October 4, 2011. A re-release of the album,excluding a few tracks and including 2 new tracks 'Bring On The Holidays' and 'Can't Wait For Christmas' featuring

Relient K Relient K is an American rock band formed in 1998 in Canton, Ohio, by Matt Thiessen, Matt Hoopes, and Brian Pittman Board Message during the band members' third year in high school and their time at Malone University. The band is named after ...

was released in 2017 under the name 'Light Of Christmas'.

Critical reception

''Christmas in Diverse City'' garnered a positive reception from

music critics Music journalism (or music criticism) is media criticism and reporting about music topics, including popular music, classical music, and traditional music. Journalists began writing about music in the eighteenth century, providing commentary on w ...

. At ''

CCM Magazine ''CCM Magazine'' is a twice-monthly online magazine focusing on contemporary Christian music, published by Salem Publishing, a division of Salem Communications. History ''CCM'' was first published in July 1978, as a printed magazine. It has bee ...

'', Grace S. Aspinwall rated the album four stars and called the album "a fun-filled romp through holiday magic." Lins Honeyman of

Cross Rhythms Cross Rhythms is a Christian media organisation based in Stoke-on-Trent, England. It operates an FM and online radio station, produces radio shows sent internationally, and its website has resources about contemporary Christian music. Hi ...

rated the album seven out of ten and said that the release was "undeniably accomplished", noting that some listeners may not like the part-time performance by the artist. At

Allmusic AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the databas ...

, Steve Leggett rated the album four stars and said that the artist was "doing what he does best, mixing rock, pop, soul, hip-hop, and urban sounds into memorable songs with an edgy but positive spirit" of the holidays. Sarah Fine of New Release Tuesday rated the release four-and-a-half stars and affirmed the album to be "the most creative" of the holiday season. At Christian Music Zine, Tyler Hess rated the album the same as Fine, writing that even though the artist steps back on the project the release is still a worthy one. Jono Davies of Louder Than the Music rated the album a perfect five stars and highlighted how TobyMac put his own spin on the festive songs that are going to be played at holiday gathering near and far. At The Christian Manifesto, Calvin Moore rated the album three-and-a-half stars, affirming the album as "an acquired taste." Jamie Lee Rake of The Phantom Tollbooth rated the album the same as Moore, and felt that the effort "doesn't disappoint". However, Ryan Barbee and Roger Gelwicks of Jesus Freak Hideout were mixed toward the album, both rating it three stars and Barbee said the album "cannot be easily dismissed nor easily accepted." Gelwicks stated that "Pairing Christmas spirit and TobyMac's musical genius could have been a classic combination, but the outcome seems to prove otherwise. To be fair, ''Christmas In Diverse City'' does more right things than not, but given Toby's pedigree of inventive composition and pleasurable atmosphere, the middle-of-the-road result is disheartening overall."

Track listing

Charts

References

{{Authority control 2011 Christmas albums Christmas albums by American artists ForeFront Records albums TobyMac albums