Customer Reviews

Collection

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Steve Camp got his start in Christian music through the help of friend Larry Norman, managed to make some of the most popular Christian music of the 80s (along with a classic in the album JUSTICE), and continues to perform and speak at churches (though to smaller numbers these days). This 2 CD set renders just about all previous collections superfluous.

PROS:
-Lots of selections from the 2 albums generally acknowledged as his best: 1989's JUSTICE (4 tracks) and 1983's FIRE AND ICE (5 tracks)

-Inclusion of rare song "Do Something Now" from the C.A.U.S.E. (Christian Artists United to Save the Earth). The song was a gospel reaction to the flood of megastar charity songs like "We are the World" that came out in the 80s from mainstream rock artists.

-18 of his 20 hits for Sparrow Records are here (#6 "On the Edge" and #11 "The Church is All of You" are missing)

CONS:
-Biggest one is that this collects Sparrow material only...no attempt was made to license material away from his old label (Myrrh) or his later label (Warner Alliance). This means you get re-recorded versions of "Run to the Battle" and "It's a Dying World" and no cuts from the albums SAYIN' IT WITH LOVE, FOR EVERY MAN, START BELIEVIN',IT'S A DYING WORLD, MERCY IN THE WILDERNESS OR TAKING HEAVEN BY STORM.

-Missing songs "Squeeze" from FIRE AND ICE, "Justice" from JUSTICE, and "Asleep in the Light" from SHAKE ME TO WAKE ME, a great cover of the Keith Green classic. Those are some of his best work and were all done on the Sparrow label, so it's hard to accept their omission.

-Amid the poppier "radio hit" material (like "Shade for the Children"), it would have been nice to make room for CONSIDER THE COST's "Could I Be Called a Christian?" a weightier tune about transforming our inner attitudes of the heart to loving God, rather than just actions that make us "look good".

BOTTOM LINE:
This is still the best collection available on Camp for casual fans. Camp aficionados will find it incomplete so they'll need to fill the gaps with "Only the Very Best" (for his Myrrh Records output), used copies of his later 2 Warner Alliance releases, and JUSTICE and FIRE AND ICE (the 2 CDs most frequently mentioned by Camp fans as his best).

Though many of the songs will make you feel sentimental with the 80's sound, the message in these songs will last forever. There are many songs on this cd set that will challenge you and will make you examine your current walk with God. This cd has songs that will make you laugh, cry, and worship with a fervent heart. If you love music with a great message, get this set.

If you are expecting a "greatest hits" compilation, then skip this one. Some songs are original, but alot have been re-recorded by Camp. And, sorry to say, the re-dos are not as good as the originals. They lack the energy, rawness, and life the originals had. "Light Your Candle" was probably one of his best songs. Trivia: That's Dann Huff on guitar on the original version. The version on this Collection is terrible. It's full of synthesizers and sounds as though it wasn't mixed and mastered quite right. In all fairness, Steve probably attempted to add a sense of maturity and modernize his material so that it wouldn't sound so "dated" due to some of his material being so "old." And, with modern digital recording technology, he thought he could accomplish it.

Nice try! But, as they say, "You're first answer is usually the correct one." He should have just re-mastered the old material. Again, in all fairness, it may have been neccessary to re-record material due to the master tapes being too old. I don't know.

If you are really a Steve Camp fan, then find the original recordings.

This CD is still as real as they come. Although released in 1995, it still carries the same power message of repentance, self-examination, and love. In todays world, I say," Here's to the good guys."

This collection has just about all you'd want, but I would have liked to have had the original versions of Run To The Battle and It's A Dying World along with Squeeze.

I've been a fan for many years & this collection is excellent. He is such an excellent writer...so. if you like lyrics, this is it! Steve's music gives me the poke in the chest I need sometimes to stay on track. What a gift this guy is!

I bought this for my mom, who loves Steve Camp. I was not let down. This has almost every one on my mom's favorites. It's so great to hear these songs again...I grew up listening to this. Had some great family prayer to this music too. God bless!

Wesley

Steve Camp was a popular Christian artist during the 80's and 90's. This is a great collection of his songs. What is great about Steve Camp is his Biblically sound lyrics. Although I did not enjoy every song on the collection (hence the 4 stars instead of 5), it is a great introduction to this fine artist.

This double CD has a great number of his songs on - & the best part is a lot of my favourites are on it too!
I appreciate Steve's music. His lyrics are challenging and speak straight to the heart. His faith in God leaps out of the songs ranging from:

Prayerful - After God's Own Heart, Carry Me, Whatever You Ask

Fight the Good Fight - Run to the Battle

Challenging - Light Your Candle, Don't Tell Them Jesus Loves Them Til You're Ready to Love them Too

The times when we fall short - For Every Time, Cheap Grace, Stranger to Your Holiness

Encouraging - He's All You Need, He Covers Me

to name a few, with lots more, all guaranteed to touch your heart in one way or another.

Good value as a lot of songs on 2 CDs.

Steve Camp has done an awesome work of expressing the life of a Christian living in the real world. His many years of music have culminated in this, a collection of heartfelt expression; his passion for righteousness; and an understanding of what it means to live in a world where iniquity is the sometimes the standard rather than the exception.

You will not be disappointed. A tremendous and powerful tribute to God's work in the lives of His own.