'"[2] Due to this, West stated "he enlisted the help of his 'most trusted advisors' (aka, mom and dad) to comb through the stacks of stories, he was the primary reader and most of the songwriting was done solo.
"[2] West realized throughout reading the stories "he had been blessed with a sheltered existence" that he said "writing about these things allowed me to see that I have a very narrow view of the world.
"[3] However, Leahey cautioned that "The Story of Your Life sometimes gets a little too close to previous pop hits: 'Family Tree' begins with the same chord structure and vocal hook as Howie Day’s 'Collide,' and 'To Me' cribs the melody from Train’s 'Hey Soul Sister' during the verse.
[3] Alpha Omega New's Tom Frigoli said "'Story of Your Life' touches on so many important topics and brings so many different messages of encouragement and love, that there is guaranteed to be something for everyone.
West's strong melodic touch, transparent lyrics, and crystal clear vocal work results in a deeply personal, moving album that's an ideal follow-up to 2008's Something To Say.
[5] Christian Broadcasting Network's Hannah Goodwyn said "An ingenious idea made into an incredible testament to God's power in individual lives, Matthew West's new album, The Story of Your Life, captures the heart and soul of his fans as he belts out Christ-focused anthems in answer to the stories they submitted by the thousands.
"[6] In addition, Goodwyn evoked how this album gave "his listeners a chance to say something, West responds to pride, abuse, divorce, adoption, and more in original songs such as the radio single 'My Own Little World' and the title track 'The Story of Your Life'.
Careful to keep the integrity of their immensely personal stories, West's soulful vocals and thoughtful lyrics speak volumes to the trials we all face and the hope we have in Christ.
"[6] Christian Music Review's Rebecca Rycross said "overall, this album is filled with honest, deep, and straight forward lyrics that bring hope to anyone who has ever struggled with these issues.
"[8] Christianity Today's John Brandon wrote "what happens when you put a hit-machine like Matthew West in a cabin and feed him real-life stories from fans?
"[9] Brandon alluded to the themes in the album that were "culled from about 10,000 letters, the songs are personal ("Broken Girl" is about sexual abuse, "To Me" is about middle school angst) and, in many ways, spiritually gratifying.
[10] Jesus Freak Hideout's Matthew Watson referenced how that "despite the music falling into standard tailored-for-CCM-radio territory, the album's lyrics display some pretty gut-wrenching themes, and leaves the listener with a sense of hope and encouragement.
"[11] Watson highlighted that "The Story of Your Life covers a variety of topics, and everyone is sure to find at least one song that speaks to them on a personal level.
"[11] Jesus Freak Hideout's Samantha Schaumberg wrote that "The Story Of Your Life, presents an introspective collection of songs of redemption and hope.
West has successfully taken stories of parenting, divorce, adoption, and abuse and given them lyrics and music that lead nearly every track to be distinctive and memorable.
"[12] Louder Than The Music's Rich Smith evoked how "The Story Of Your Life is a brave, original, different and unique album.
[13] New Release Tuesday's Kevin Davis underscored that "The Story of Your Life is a powerful collection of songs that cover a diverse range of difficult subject matter.