Customer Reviews

Beyond Measure

5 star:		(32)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(7)
2 star:		(5)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Two things I loved about Jeremy Camp. (1) His lyrics were so "real", so easy to relate to, and so encouraging. Even challenging at times. (2) He had cool guitar parts. While not overly complicated, they were pleasant to listen to.

Beyond Measure is fairly bland, sad to say. The lyrics seem somewhat uninspired (sounds blasphemous, but let me explain), and the songs themselves are not very original. There are a few good tunes, but this one doesn't find its way to my CD player nearly as much as his previous releases.

About the lyrics: for the most part, they do not strike a chord with me the way his two other major releases (Stay and Restored) did. There are many platitudes about taking up one's cross, living a life of sacrifice, giving God control, and on and on. I know these are all good things, but I just don't "feel" his heart (or God's) in these songs. Maybe that will change in time. The worst song lyrically on the album is probably "Give You Glory" which throws out all the standard phrases. The best song is probably "I Am Nothing". Of course "Give Me Jesus" is awesome too, but it's a cover of a hymn so I can't credit him with lyrical genius here.

Of course it's Jeremy Camp, which means that fans of his music will likely gobble this one up too (as many already have, as evidenced by the reviews). But I guess maybe I am looking at this album critically. Which is good, because Christian artists need to be held to high standards, too! While his voice and songwriting don't come into question, his passion does. I recommend listening to audio clips before purchasing this one.

This album is okay. I'd say their are about 5 good songs on this album. The others seemed like filler or close to it. I knew this cd would be different from his earlier releases because he said it would be at the concert I went to. This album was mostly contemporary with a few rock and worship songs. Unless this album is a one time thing it looks like Camp is going contemporary to which it seems he's been moving to over the albums. Restored was not as rock as Stay, but close. The move from Restored to Beyond Measure is more apparent. If Camp wants to make this move however he has to come up with better songs though. The other big difference on this cd is his high notes. I think it works. I also think he doesnt need to hit those notes and Im surprised no one has commented on it. Track 1 Tonight is an amazing song to start off the album and it would have been nice to have more of that style. Camp seems to have a knack for start off songs (Understand and Restored are amazing) sadly the following 3 songs after Tonight didnt run the relay as in previous albums.I rarely skipped and tracks on his previous cds, sadly I will keep this cd only to burn 4 or 5 songs to a Camp mixed cd. Favorite songs: Tonight, Feels Like, When You Are Near, No matter What, Everything, and Give me Jesus. Those songs run the gambit of what makes Jeremy Camp great. They are songs that best showcase his rock, soft rock, contemporary, and worship influences.

Let me start off by saying that I am a big Jeremy Camp fan. His prior albums 'Stay' and 'Restored' are terrific.

This is an album with a totally different style for Jeremy. It has a lighter sound and is less intense than his previous work. The lyrics are great. As always, he speaks from the heart and with deep convictions in his songwriting. Soundwise, I don't think he is not using his great talents to the fullest here.

There are some very good songs in this collection: 'Tonight', 'What It Means', 'When You Are Near', and and 'Give You Glory' are all really good. Additionally, 'Give Me Jesus' is a very nice sounding song. Jeremy's wife Adie, who is an artist in her own right, adds some beautiful sounding vocals.

If you are a big Jeremy Camp fan, you may want to get this. If you are not familiar with him, I would recommend his albums 'Stay' and 'Restored' over this one.

Let me just start out by saying that it's about time. I think it was 2004 when Restored was originally released, and the Live Unplugged and Gold Edition albums just haven't cut it for me. Finally, new stuff!
Also since 2004, with the few new tracks that we have received(particularly Open Up Your Eyes on the Narnia inspired-by), we've been hearing a shift in Mr. Camp's style, and now here it is for sure. This album isn't Stay. It's not even Restored. It's a new sound, a new feel to Jeremy Camp. And as much as I love all of his old releases, I won't say this is a bad change.
The title track, Beyond Measure is probably his most powerful writing since I Still Believe, and a great song overall. Let it Fade also seems to capture some of the heavier, older JC feel, and is also really good. Then we have songs like Give Me Jesus that really embody how he's definitely toning down his sound. It also feels, overall, like he's being influenced a lot by his wife, Adie, sound-wise, but hey, her solo debut was really good in my opinion.
So to close a rather disjointed review, this is a good album. It's not his best, but it does contain what I feel are some of his best songs to date. The sound and style are changing, but despite changes, it is Jeremy Camp, so you can expect good things.

Jeremy returns with his new release "Beyond Measure". I heard the first single, the high-powered "Tonight" before the album released, and loved it. I am a little disappointed that there are few other songs that "rock out" like this one on the album, though "No Matter What" isn't bad. I was hoping for a return to his earlier, more aggressive stuff along the lines of "Stay", "Lay Down My Pride", and "Take My Life", at least for a few tracks on the album. Perhaps super-producer Aaron Sprinkle (Kutless, Hawk Nelson, Fair) should have been employed on more than just 3 tracks. Not surprisingly, 2 of these three, "Tonight" and "What It Means" are a couple of the project's best. The remainder of the songs consist of mostly well-crafted melodies, especially "When You Are Near". At times, some of the lyrics are a little cliché-ish. His talented wife, Adie (check out her solo project), provides some background vocals on the album. Overall, an ok disc, but I was hoping to play more air guitar. I'd like to add that I applaud Jeremy's talent and ministry, along with his live shows. I've seen him 3 times and would go again.

This CD wasn't nearly as good as I thought it would be. I had heard it was one of the topsellers in Christian music for it's first week in stores, so I went out and bought it like so many other people. After listening, I was glad I got it on SALE--this album has only a few good songs on it in my opinion, and got WAY more hype than it deserved. Of course, I think Jeremy's a great singer, but I expected a lot more when I bought this album. If you want EXCELLENT music, then try Avalon's Faith: A Hymns Collection, Aaron Shust's debut Anything Worth Saying, or Lifesong by Casting Crowns.
For this product, overall I was somewhat disappointed.

FIRST let me echo what another reviewer shared in that this is NOT an attack on Jeremy Camp. Nor is it a question of his heart or faith or anything else. Given what he's been through in his life I simply could NOT do that. That said ,it seems to me that this music is rubber stamped CCM.I too was excited when Stay released with the rawness of many of the songs. ESPECIALLY Understand and Take My Life. But have been disappointed with each subsequent release. If,as another reviewer has stated, God is indeed writing these songs, then I need to ask His forgiveness. But He has made us all different and this is just my opinion. IF you like Contemporary Christian Music then this is for you. If you're wanting to rock then I'd continue my search elsewhere.

When Jeremy Camp came onto the CCM music scene with his stellar debut album "Stay", he was like a breath of fresh air to a stagnant industry. His sound was a good mix of crunchy rock songs and reflective ballads. What made that disc special was, moreso than the music, was the lyrics. Lyrics in songs such as "I Still Believe" and "Understand" almost had me convinced that someone in the CCM industry could in fact relate to the struggles I was having with my own faith as I moved away from the safety of youth group to the "real world" of college and work and making my faith my own. Sadly, both on Restored and now on Beyond Measure, the lyrics that folks who dare to ask the difficult questions of our faith can relate to are no longer present. I feel that Mr. Camp has resorted to cliches or Christian catch phrases (see the lead single "Tonight"), or the near-constant references to struggles with pride to the point of bordering on whining about it. The point is this, we as consumers need to start demanding something more of the artists in this industry: 1) because they fly under the banner of "Christianity" and as an artistic person in my own right I resent being painted with the same brush by the rest of humanity as many in this industry who produce bland, cliche-ridden music and 2) because God is creative, and I think we could stand to do a better job of reflecting His creative nature than the sort of music that's been on Mr. Camp's last 2 albums. This is not an attack on Jeremy Camp, nor his testimony, nor his theology. This is purely an art issue that is fueled by my own personal beliefs. I hope this helps some consumer to think through their purchase before financially feeding an industry that is in need of change.

This is more produced than he earlier stuff. THe songs just seem weaker to me. I dont know if it is because he has much more a hectic schedule than writing his earlier stuff.

The album is worth a listen, and had a few hits on the radio.

Three GREAT songs on here: "Tonight", "No Matter What", and "Give You Glory". These songs showcase Jeremy's deep voice and highlight his vocal range and are very "hard rock". I like them. However, a lot of the other songs on the album are too soft and a little wishy-washy.

I hope his next album has more songs like "Tonight" and "No Matter What" on it. I am a big Jeremy fan.