 Coming Up to Breathe received positive reception from music critics . Steve Losey of Allmusic gave the album four out of five stars , saying " In a concerted effort to revert back to the days when they were more a rock band and less of a hitmaking machine , MercyMe delivers . While it 's certainly not heavy metal , the songs definitely keep driving forward . Guitars are more prominent and production leans on a more earthy formula ... MercyMe is able to rock on portions of each song but they always bring it back to a memorable chorus or a hooky verse . That 's the formula that has always worked for them , and it does here , too " . Deborah Evans Price of Billboard noted that " For the most part , MercyMe has built a multiplatinum foundation on compelling power ballads . But on this set , the Texas band rocks out with passion and edgy intensity . It doesn 't stray so far that it would alienate the faithful , but it delivers a powerful collection of pop / rock that should take the band 's career to a new level " . She also praised Millard 's vocals and called it a " landmark album in an already impressive career " . Mark Joseph of CCM Magazine gave the album a B- ; he called the album " enjoyable " but suggesting that a stronger producer or A & R team would have resulted in better lyrics . Tony Cummings of Cross Rhythms gave the album nine out of ten stars , praising the vocals and string arrangements as well as the choir on " Bring the Rain " . Russ Breimeier of The Fish called Coming Up to Breathe MercyMe 's " best album to date " and an " impressive step in the right direction for a band that many have pegged to be too formulaic " , but derided the album 's " simplistic songwriting " . 
