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Beyond Measure

Jeremy Camp | October 31st, 2006

Jeremy Camp has been nominated for two Dove awards: Best Song of the Year and Inspirational Song of the Year. These songs, “We Give You Glory” and “Give Me Jesus,” are good indicators that Jeremy Camp's album Beyond Measure is another winner. While his lyrics often rely on Christian terms without using concrete images, this does not make his music ineffective; rather, his songs sound like a lot of prayers that perhaps many Christians have said throughout their lives. This makes for a refreshing and thought-provoking listen.

In what I would call typical Jeremy Camp fashion, the first song “Tonight” hearkens back to his first album, which was more categorized by rock. Heavy drums and acoustics dominate this intensely prayer-like song as Camp sings: Tonight, I will take my cross / Tonight, I will count this cost / Tonight, I realize to take hold of this very moment. Although forcefully upbeat, the song's tune and lyrics are driven to give its listeners an intense look at the words of a sinner saved by grace.

The entire album goes on to demonstrate this understanding of the cost of being a follower of Christ, the realization of Christ's blessings, and struggling to believe in Christ's grace. With lyrics like Show me what it means to live my life a sacrifice (“What It Means”); I know that I've been given more than beyond measure (“Beyond Measure”); Let this old life crumble, let it fade / Let this new life offered be your saving grace / Let this old life crumble, let it fade (“Let It Fade”); and I know that every time I find the one things that holds me back inside / I want to tear apart and bring my selfish pleasures at Your feet (“No Matter What It Takes”); Jeremy Camp shows these things in what some might call typical Christian language; nevertheless, his words resonate deeply in the ears of his listeners.

Other songs like “Everything” and “I Am Nothing” sound repetitive at the end of the album with words such as You are everything that I hope for and I am nothing without your love, but they do not weaken the album's content in the least. Jeremy Camp has created another album worth listening to; I would argue that his music is perhaps some of the most thought-provoking that the Christian industry is churning out today. Songs like “When You Are Near” put into words those feelings that we sometimes have during the tough times of life: There's no need to say a thing when I'm before you / In this silence I feel refreshed with peace / Break this noise that tries to speak / Open up my eyes to see Your gracious, sovereign reach. And that's what this album is about; not necessarily originality of ideas but rather the sincere prayers of a sinner saved by grace. Any believer needs to be reminded of these words—and Beyond Measure is an excellent way to do so.

Reviewed by Kaitlin Brewer on February 17th, 2008

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