From Amazon.com
This is
the one, the album Michael W. Smith has always wanted to make. Put simply,
Live the Life is a masterpiece. The Christian music star has finally meshed his impressive songwriting skills and limited but effective singing with a tasteful producer's ear. The anthemic "Missing Person" sets the tone: Smith is playing for keeps. Guitars, not keyboards, play a large role on this release, as evidenced by Smith's cowriting with the vastly underrated Brent Bourgeois on "Live the Life," "Don't Give Up," and "Matter of Time." On the rest, Smith shares songwriting duties with master musician Wayne Kirkpatrick. Each number carries a depth unparalleled and showcases Smith's maturation. Fast, slow, happy, sad, quiet, and loud: you have it all on
Live the Life.
--Michael Lyttle
Description
On his eleventh album, Christian artist Michael W. Smith proves once again his ability to provide pop appeal while maintaining his integrity, as well as continuing his themes of thankfulness and deep religious faith. LIVE THE LIFE varies from Smith's previous albums in that he plays guitar rather than piano, lending an edgier, more assertive tone to the music. Highlights include the anthemic title track; the quirky "Love Me Good", and the touching "Hello, Goodbye", which waswritten for friends of Smith's whose new baby died. Smith attributes the themes of LIVE THE LIFE, as well as its title,to a quote by St. Francis of Assisi: "Preach the gospel to all the world and if necessary, use words".
