Storyside B: Everything and More
Trying out Storyside B: Everything and More, one encounters a blend of old and new thought and some pop that rocks. I didn’t expect to like it, but reflecting on the subjects of a few of our forums here at Hollywood Jesus, I think it fits pretty well!
“Everything and More� speaks of the other who takes all the blame, editing in the reminder that we get to make our own choices and sometimes we make mistakes. We could call those mistakes sin, but as Storyside pushes toward, the focus isn’t the individual mistakes, it’s about the focus we put on different priorities that shape our lives. They sing, “What do you live for? Is it something you stand for?/Is it everything that you believe and more?� I was drawn to this refrain because it pushes us past intellectually accepting to something that we would choose to die for (tragically) or live for (in an everyday sort of way.)
In “It’s Not Over,� the band pushes us toward recognizing the opportunities that we sometimes miss because we’re not paying attention. Still, the overall movement is hopeful (it is about grace, isn’t it?) that we’re born again in a situation where we can succeed and make the right choices. The missed opportunities haunt Storyside in “Miracle,� where they sing, “A miracle is in my hand/I hope I don’t throw it away again.� It seems the first point would be determining what is miraculous—and that requires accepting the movement of God within our lives even when we can’t see it.
That movement gets highlighted in “More to This Life,� as we’re urged to recognize God through prayer, and accept that all shame will be taken away by that grace. This requires faith but also a humility that we all lack. Laying down what we want to take up what God offers is to moves, one letting go and one taking up. We’re quick to say we want what is best or what good could come but we often neglect what we already fill ourselves with that keeps us from the greater good. Storyside’s “Hold me down� desires for this surrender and recognizes the dilemma that we’re in, longing to be better than we are. The final result is “In Your Eyes,� where after a long prodigal journey, we’re welcomed home because the other never left us.
More evangelical than many of my previous bands have been, Storyside blends a healthy criticism of modern day Christianity with a desire to share the grace they’ve experienced with others. All of us long to be forgiven and to have our shame erased but we lack the strength to make the first step. As I said, the forum jogged much of this discussion, as we reflect on what it means to explore God with our whole heart, our whole mind, and our whole soul. Storyside demands that we do all three—exploring God with all that we are.
“Everything and More� speaks of the other who takes all the blame, editing in the reminder that we get to make our own choices and sometimes we make mistakes. We could call those mistakes sin, but as Storyside pushes toward, the focus isn’t the individual mistakes, it’s about the focus we put on different priorities that shape our lives. They sing, “What do you live for? Is it something you stand for?/Is it everything that you believe and more?� I was drawn to this refrain because it pushes us past intellectually accepting to something that we would choose to die for (tragically) or live for (in an everyday sort of way.)
In “It’s Not Over,� the band pushes us toward recognizing the opportunities that we sometimes miss because we’re not paying attention. Still, the overall movement is hopeful (it is about grace, isn’t it?) that we’re born again in a situation where we can succeed and make the right choices. The missed opportunities haunt Storyside in “Miracle,� where they sing, “A miracle is in my hand/I hope I don’t throw it away again.� It seems the first point would be determining what is miraculous—and that requires accepting the movement of God within our lives even when we can’t see it.
That movement gets highlighted in “More to This Life,� as we’re urged to recognize God through prayer, and accept that all shame will be taken away by that grace. This requires faith but also a humility that we all lack. Laying down what we want to take up what God offers is to moves, one letting go and one taking up. We’re quick to say we want what is best or what good could come but we often neglect what we already fill ourselves with that keeps us from the greater good. Storyside’s “Hold me down� desires for this surrender and recognizes the dilemma that we’re in, longing to be better than we are. The final result is “In Your Eyes,� where after a long prodigal journey, we’re welcomed home because the other never left us.
More evangelical than many of my previous bands have been, Storyside blends a healthy criticism of modern day Christianity with a desire to share the grace they’ve experienced with others. All of us long to be forgiven and to have our shame erased but we lack the strength to make the first step. As I said, the forum jogged much of this discussion, as we reflect on what it means to explore God with our whole heart, our whole mind, and our whole soul. Storyside demands that we do all three—exploring God with all that we are.
1 Comments:
Hey man this is Ron from the band. A friend of mine saw this on-line and e-mailed me the link.
Thanks for the review, I/we really appreciate you taking the time to do it, and that you get what were trying to accomplish in our ministry. If you ever need anything feel free to contact us on our myspace page www.myspace.com/storysideb and I'll make sure I get it. If you don't hear from me within a couple days you might want to resend it though :)
Anyways...
God Bless!
Ron-SSBbassist
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