Alive and Transported (Live)

iTunes Review

Documenting his 2007 Portable Sounds tour, tobyMac’s Alive and Transported won’t be mistaken for a perfunctory live release. This Christian music veteran does more than sum up his chart successes — he captures the sweat-spraying exuberance of his stage show as faithfully as a fan could hope for. Hard-charging beats and blistering solos keep the jams smoldering throughout the set, with a few prayerful interludes for breathing space. Fans will revel in the body-slamming, spirit-raising treatments given “Ignition,” “Diversity City,” “Ticket,” “Extreme Days,” and other favorites. tobyMac’s persona as an imperfect but committed warrior for the Word comes through most effectively in “I’m Yours” and a remake of dcTalk’s classic “Jesus Freak.” Tim Rosenau’s metalloid guitar riffs and Nirva Dorsaint-Ready's gospo-centric vocals add considerably to the kinetic feel of these cuts. There are more subdued moments, such as “In the Light” and the classical guitar intro to “Irene,” but for the most part Alive and Transported parties heartily in a heaven-bound direction.