Customer Reviews

Don't Wait

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

 

 

For fans of The Benjamin Gate, this has been a long-anticipated release. However, Adie's sound is quite different from what it was when she was part of The Benjamin Gate. Her voice is of course still beautiful and amazing, but it has more of a continual sound to it on this disc, whereas, when she sang with The Benjamin Gate, there were much more dynamics to her vocals.

I can definitely hear the influence of her husband, Jeremy Camp, in this album - stylistically, while it leans more towards a pop/trip-hop style, it's still quite similar to Jeremy's music. I think she could have done more to be creative with it, stylistically, which is why I gave it 4 instead of 5 stars. A lot of the songs have the same types of sounds in them, and it's not a very dynamic album.

All of that said, this album has a wonderful message and should definitely be listened to, and sung along with. The lyrics are meaningful and easy to relate to, and her words are easy to understand, in spite of a slight South-African accent. This album has a very high quality sound to it, and it's easy to listen to... there are no songs on this CD that I ever want to skip over or would rather not hear.

After The Benjamin Gate called it quits in 2003, South African native and lead singer Adrienne Camp opened a clothing store in Indiana and secretly dreamed of recording a cd on her own. Then out of the blue, husband and singer Jeremy Camp suggested, "Honey, I think it would really cool if you did a solo album." Adie says, "I was thrilled, because I was thinking the same thing. It's been scary stepping out on my own without the band guys. The Benjamin Gate was all about pushing boundaries, no holding back. This cd fits me so much better."

Jeremy Camp's fingerprints are all over this project, helping with backup vocals in "Broken" and co-writing many of the other songs with Adie. Although a lot more mellow than the albums she did with The Benjamin Gate, Adrienne's strong rock vocals are still there. Her clear voice nails each note and is backed by a crisp, sometimes acoustic sound that's rich with texture---a long journey from the aggressive rock sound of her former band.

You'd never guess this was Adie's first solo cd either musically or lyrically, as each cut seems to flow easily to the next. My favorite has to be "When It's Over", a touching number about how much she longs to see Jesus one day. The piano opening gives way to an electric-guitar-backed-chorus with her own harmonies, reminding me a little bit of Joy Williams minus the pop element. "Your Way" deals with trusting God and going His way and not our own. It's a simple blend of electric and acoustic guitar, well suited for the lower range of her voice. There's a pure hymn-like tune, "What Have I Done", where Adie's voice becomes airy and angelic (Amy Grant's "Breath of Heaven" comes to mind.) The final touch is her catchy, updated version of The Byrd's "Turn, Turn, Turn".

Don't Wait has a simplicity that is refreshing, with enough variety within her folk/rock genre to keep you eager for the next track, although Benjamin Gate fans might be slightly disappointed with it's lack of edginess. Several cuts are radio friendly, and I can already see them soaring to the top of the charts. Go Adie! I have a feeling you won't have much time anymore for that boutique of yours.

--Reviewed by Tracy Darlington

Adie's first solo album is a beautiful compilation of songs sung with Adie's exceptional voice. Some of the songs are co-written with her husband, Jeremy Camp.

Lyrically, this CD focuses on Jesus. It is clear that Adie is an unabashed follower of Christ. The songs are quite mellow. I would have preferred to hear a bit more of an edginess in some of them. Nevertheless, they are well written and sound very good.

If you haven't heard any of her music before and want a sampler first, I would recommend checking out 'Your Way' and 'When It's Over' on ITunes. Those two are very enjoyable and will give you an idea of her talent.

After listening to The Benjamin Gate's techno pop-rock sound I was surprised at how much Adie has matured since leaving the band. I purchased this album specifically for the song "When It's Over" and have really come to love the rest of the songs as well. However, I thought she could have taken some more risks musically. The songs, although very good, tend to all kind of run together. Again, everything is good but nothing really stands out as exceptional.
Nevertheless, I eagerly anticipate her next album and am hoping to see her be a little more creative.

After having heard "When It's Over" (and apparently a radio mix of that which I can't find anywhere) and "Your Way", I was almost salivating for this album. What I discovered was not as drool-worthy as I had expected. Simply, "Don't Wait" is one of those frustratingly uneven albums. No songs are thoroughly awful, and yet, few songs are excellent. Most are half-good which creates a disappointing listening experience.

The greatest unevenness can be found in the lyric department. Adie demonstrates that she can pen the insightful lyric with lines like "I'm all I am because of what You gave up" (from "Overwhelm Me"), and the opening lines of "When It's Over", but far too often she sinks into Christian cliche`. You know Those lyrics -- the ones that scream unoriginality from nearly every P&W song ever crafted, and they're here, incongruously juxtaposed with deeper and creative expressions of faith. There's even a little bit of Jesus-as-boyfriend material that crops up, which is really beneath her.

The winners here? The tense, authentic "Your Way", the building and passionate "When It's Over", "Don't Wait", the Twila Paris-like "What Have I Done", and the sincere, nearly gritty "Turn, Turn, Turn". Adie has a lot of things going for her, from the slightly lower-pitched voice, the South African accent, and the passion and rough edges from her years in a hard rock outfit -- all these things make her voice something different in the pop/rock world. She's also more than a little creative and skilled in the arrangement and structure of her songs. However, what's missing is the coup-de-grace, the final few edits, or the incubation time, that would take half-good songs like "Overwhelm Me" into firing-on-all-4 winners like "Your Way".

Adie is an AMAZINGLY gifted vocalist. The first 3 songs are Awesome. 5 stars for sure! The rest of the disc goes downhill from there, but I still think it's a good CD.

The former lead singer of now disbanded Benjamin gate returns with her solo debut. Adie has such a beautiful voice and you cant help but love the vocals on this CD. The lyrics are so powerful and just draw you closer to God. The standout songs are "Your Way" "When Its Over" and her cover of the Byrds song "Turn Turn Turn." I also Like "Dont Wait(Lazy Days) it is just a fun song to sing along with.

I enjoyed Adie's album. It has a little rock edge, but is more pop. Besides good music, its lyrics reflected thought and introspection.

It closes with the token deca-annual remake of "Turn, Turn, Turn" by a Christian female vocalist (done by former 700 Club co-host Sheila Walsh in the '80's and Pam Thum in the 90's). My favorite cuts on it were "Your Way", "Overwhelm Me", "Time", and "What Have I Done".

Adie, wife of Jeremy Camp and former lead singer of the band "The Benjamin Gate", releases her solo debut. This is lighter music than the energetic power-pop of BG, but Adie's ethereal voice makes it a great listen. She sings strongly and passionately, yet maintains vulnerability. Highlights include the up-tempo "Your Way" and "When It's Over', and the title track. The album also features an Aaron Sprinkle produced cover of the Byrds' "Turn, Turn, Turn."

Not mainstream but should be!!! Very good CD! You can check out her MySpace page to review some of the songs.