#7 Album Of 2010
Posted December 21, 2010
By KevinMcNeese_NRT, Staff Reviewer
2008's Something To Say established Matthew West as a great singer/songwriter in my book. He emerged as a fantastic story teller, wrapping his personal experiences in accessible hooks and pop music. For his fifth studio album, Matthew solicited stories from his fans, receiving an overwhelming amount of letters (over 10,000) from which he crafted the 11 songs of The Story Of Your Life. The songs that emerged deal with the burdens that so many were carrying on their backs. Abuse, being forgotten, bad self-image, divorce and hate.
With so many heavy topics, it's amazing to me how this album didn't turn out to be one of the most depressing albums I've ever heard, but through the entire album, West weaves poignant hope around these dark moments, shining light into the corners of these lives. It's right on par with the promise that God brings. He is with us in the valleys as well as the mountaintops. And despite circumstances around us that may be clouding our view, there is a God who loves us and wants to grab our hand, and lead us out of the darkness. This is far from a heavy listening experience and knowing the source material came from true stories makes it an incredibly personal challenge to listen to the stories around us and usher hope wherever needed.
Highlights on the album include "Broken Girl," "Strong Enough" and "My Own Little World."
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