Best Album of 2022
Posted August 24, 2022
By BPence,
Life After Death is 57-year-old TobyMac’s eighth studio album, and his first since 2018’s The Elements and the 2019 death of his 21-year-old son Truett from an accidental drug overdose. The 15-song album is the best I have heard this year.
Eight of the fifteen songs were released prior to the official album release date. The songs, which date from 2020’s “21 Years” and “I’m Sorry (a lament)”, include themes of loss, lament, hope, racial equality, the goodness of God, relationships, living for Christ and rest. Toby has said that there is life after death, and that the album chronicles the journey he has been on over the last two years. And somehow, through it all, he has experienced the goodness of God.
There are several collaborations on the album, including with Blessing Offor, Tauren Wells, Sheryl Crow, Zach Williams, and former DC Talk bandmates Michael Tait, and Kevin Max. Musically, the songs feature excellent, catchy melodies and beats, and the production is top notch. In other words, exactly what you would expect from a TobyMac album.
Below are a few comments about each song:
Help Is On The Way (Maybe Midnight) – This song was written and produced by Micah Kuiper and Toby, and features Jon Reddick, Gabe Real, Michael Cochran, and Kuiper on backing vocals. The upbeat song was released in February 2021 and was a hit on Christian radio. This was the first song of hope that Toby wrote after the death of Truett. A great start to the album and it was the opening song on his recent tour.
Key lyric:
It may be midnight or mid-day
He's never early, never late
He gonna stand by what He claimed
I lived enough life to say…
Help is on the way
The Goodness – This joyful song was written by Kyle Williams, Gabe Real, Bryan Fowler and Toby. It was produced by Fowler, Williams and Toby, and features vocals from Blessing Offor, and backing vocals from Fowler, Williams, Real and Ryan Stevenson. Through the good and the bad and the ugly, he can still see the sunshine above him.
Key lyric:
Everywhere that I go
You keep showin' up
Lord, You make me wanna shout it, oh
You're the goodness in my life
Deeper – This song was written and produced by Micah Kuiper and Toby, and features Tauren Wells on vocals. The song features bass, percussion, and backing vocals. He wants to go deeper. He is tired of surface level conversations and friendships.
Key lyric:
Deeper, I wanna go deeper
I'm gettin' tired of the surface
Show Up Choose Love – This song about racial unity, was written by Jon Reddick, Tommy Sims, Janice Gaines, Micah Kuiper, Benji Cowart, Tony Wood and Toby. The song was produced by Kuiper, Reddick and Toby, and features Worship Pastor Jon Reddick on vocals. The song features keys, bass, drums, and a choir. Sometimes the next right thing is all you can do.
Key lyric:
We've come a long way
Been through some dark days
We seen some things change
And we shall overcome
Promised Land (Collab OG) – This song was written by Adam Agee and Toby and produced by Micah Kuiper and Toby. This is an alternate version of the “Promised Land” radio single and features Sheryl Crow on vocals. The song features guitar, bass, drums, and backing vocals. Toby and Crow’s voices blend well. The song claims that in the midst of his grief, God is still his Promised Land.
Key lyric:
Through all these seasons
I'm still believin'
You're my promised land
In all my grievin'
I'm still believin'
You're my promised land
Everything About You – This song was written by Marlee, Jon Reddick and Toby, and produced by Bryan Fowler, Kyle Williams, and Toby. The song features Toby’s daughter Marlee on vocals in this heartfelt song about missing Truett. The song features a live orchestra (strings and horns), drums, bass, keys, and organ.
Key lyric:
I miss everything about you
I just miss bein' around you
Outta sight, outta mind
Don't add up, not this time
It's the cold truth
I miss everything
Life On It – This hard-driving song was written by Bryan Fowler, Saint X, Reske, Ging, and Toby. The song is produced by Fowler, Saint X, Micah Kuiper, and Toby and features Sarah Reeves on vocals. The song features, keys, guitar, drums, horns, and a rap by Toby. He’d rather live for something than to die for nothing.
Key lyric:
From the blessings poured out to me losin' my son
You're my way and my truth, I'm a disciple of You
Through the highs and the lows, my heart will always stay true
They could put me in chains, they could lock me away
They would slay me in vain, I will always remain
Faithfully – This song was written by Kyle Williams and Toby, and produced by Micah Kuiper, Williams, and Toby. The song features horns, bass, strings, guitar and backing vocals. He may never be the same man, but he’s a man who still believes.
Key lyric:
'Cause when my world broke into pieces
You were there faithfully
When I cried out to You, Jesus
You made a way for me
Cornerstone – This upbeat worship song, which has a bit of a classic rock sound, was written and produced by Micah Kuiper, Bryan Fowler and Toby, and features Zach Williams on vocals. The song features drums, guitar, bass, and backing vocals and samples a bit of the 1834 hymn “My Hope is Built on Nothing Less” by Edward Mote.
Key lyric:
You're the only Rock that I could ever stand on
You're the only one for me
Found – This upbeat praise song was written by Lydia Lubben, Dave Lubben, Mutiat Isola and Toby and produced by Dave Lubben and Toby. The song features Terrian and Wande and Terrian. The song features keys, piano, guitar, drums, and backing vocals. He once was lost, but now he’s forever His.
Key lyric:
All I am is because of You
All I'll be is because of You
All I was is lost
But now I'm found
Fire’s Burnin’ – This upbeat worship song was written and produced by Micah Kuiper, Bryan Fowler and Toby, and features Cory Asbury on vocals. The song features guitar, bass, drums, backing vocals and a memorable chorus.
Key lyric:
I put it all on the table
You're the one that I choose
You got my whole heart, Lord
This fire's burnin' for You
Space – This song about relationships was written and produced by Dave Lubben and Toby, and features DC Talk bandmates Michael Tait and Kevin Max on vocals. The song features keys, drums, percussion, guitar, bass and backing vocals, and could be about the space that has grown in the relationship between the three. The song includes a bit of 1 Corinthians 13. It is great to hear their three voices together again.
Key lyric:
How can we start to erase?
How can we start to erase this space between us?
21 Years – This powerful song was written by Bryan Fowler, Blake NeeSmith, and Toby in 2020, as a tribute to Toby’s son Truett, a song Toby never wanted to write. The song was produced by Fowler and Toby. The song features keys and strings.
Key lyric:
Well until this show is over
And you run into my arms
God has you in Heaven
But I have you in my heart
I’m Sorry – This song was written by and produced by Tommee Proffit and Toby. The song laments our falling short of what Jesus asks of us as His church in Matthew 5, 6 and 7. The song ends with Toby reciting the Beatitudes. The song features keys, drums, a choir and a passionate vocal by Toby.
Key lyric:
Wake us up, wake us up, wake us up, Lord
Wake us up, wake us up, wake us up
Rest – This short ending song was written and produced by Dave Lubben and Toby, and features Terrian and Gabe Real on vocals. The song features keys, strings, guitar, and backing vocals. This song about the Sabbath includes each artist sharing a Bible verse about the topic.
Key lyric:
Fall into the arms of God and rest your weary head
Just rest
Favorite songs:
Help Is On The Way (Maybe Midnight)
The Goodness
Promised Land (Collab OG)
Life on It
Faithfully
Found
Fire’s Burnin’
Space
21 Years
I’m Sorry (a lament)
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