Matthew West: ‘Live Forever’ album review

Ever the intricate storyteller, Matthew West rarely disappoints. Live Forever follows suit and is even more moving and content rich than his most recent offerings, which is saying a lot. Complete with themes of heaven, hope, and of course the compelling fan-submitted stories, West up’s the ante and has sonically delivered his best performances to date. On the deeply stirring “Homecoming” (available on the deluxe edition), he tackles the subject of life in the womb versus abortion as he sings “Every life is sacred, every life is a gift, every life deserves the chance to live / When you hear my first cry, when you look in my eyes, you will understand why you brought me to life.” “Grace Wins” is a more upbeat, radio-friendly example of the heightened energy and musical prowess now on display, while “Born For This” is the type of encouraging support we’ve come to love and expect from West’s anthems. The overall strength of this album more-than overshadows even the slightest bobble (a bit of a predictable chorus on the title track “Live Forever”), and know that this new batch will easily become staples both on-air an onstage.