Not to Us

Christian music by Chris Tomlin

There are few, if any, Christian artists who better understand the dynamics of worship-oriented rock music than Chris Tomlin. On Not to Us, his second major-label release, Tomlin raises the bar for anyone who ascribes to this ever-increasing popular format. He has a knack for blending irresistible melodies and catchy choruses that nearly always leave a pleasant aftertaste. Tomlin's wall-of-guitars sound on the opener, "Everything," the title track, and the anthemic "Famous One" cooks up enough firepower to light a church service. His constant touring with the One Day worship caravan over the last few years has clearly taught him how to lead the crowd with loud. But he can also deftly switch gears while never losing focus. There's nice counterbalance with the softer testimony of "Come Home Running" and the beautiful "Wonderful Maker." Ultimately, Tomlin showcases here a seldom-matched instinct for infusing familiar rock phrasing with modern worship at no cost to the integrity of either. --Michael Lyttle