Jeremy Thomas Camp was born on January 12, 1978 in
Lafayette, Indiana. His wife is Adrienne
Liesching, the former frontwoman for The Benjamin Gate. Jeremy has sold over 3.5 million albums, has
had 32 Number One radio hits across all formats, and has won five Dove Awards
including two for Male Vocalist of the Year.
Some of the songs he is known for include: ‘Take You Back’, ‘Walk by
Faith’, ‘Speaking Louder than Before’, and ‘Jesus Saves’. His seventh studio album is RECKLESS (2013,
BEC Recordings). Of it, Jeremy says: “My
heart’s desire is that people will listen to the Lord and His leading and
really dive into the fullness of what He’s called them to do, whatever that
looks like.”
The title track is one of six songs co-written by the duo of
Camp and album co-producer Andy Dodd.
‘Reckless’ is an energetic rocker that finds Jeremy committing himself
totally to Christ: “I will lose my life/And just let go/Because I know this
world is not my home, no/With fearless faith/I won’t be moved/Unshakeable
inside Your truth/You laid Your life down/And gave it up/So I’ll give it
up…/And I won’t waste any more time/My life’s Yours, it is not mine/Use me
Lord, no matter what’s at stake.” ‘The
Way You Love Me’ has a rousing chorus that reminds us that we should share
God’s grace and mercy with others and not keep them to ourselves: “So I will
lift the broken ones/Show the world how You love me/How You love me/I will
reach/I will touch/Give myself/The way You love me (2X).”
‘Free’ has a third songwriter in Toby Friesen who also plays
electric guitar on the track. This one
is a happy rock song of testimony: “Covered by Your mercy/Captured by a hope
that will always remain/I can stop and breathe now/Resting in the shelter of
Your Name/You reached out to me/And now I sing…/No more fear inside me/I will
trust completely/Your love overtakes me/Nothing else has made me free/I am
free.” ‘Paradise’ has Jeremy longing for
the splendors of the afterlife: “Can’t wait to walk the streets of gold/And see
a lion with a lamb/And colors that are untold/Can’t wait to look into Your
face/See the majesty and glory that makes the earth shake…/On my knees I will glorify
in paradise.”
‘We Must Remember’ is one of four songs on this project
solely penned by Camp. In it he joyfully
shares the Gospel: “You are the pure and spotless Lamb/You are the only great I
Am/And we know that You are, yes You are/The God of the redeemed…/The power of
Your blood/It is all that we need/You laid down Your life/And the captives were
free/The veil was torn/And there was victory.”
A reminder of Jesus’ Great Commission found in Matthew 28:18-20 follows. ‘Shine’ is musically upbeat: “You are moving
all around us/We are kneeling/Desperately seeking Your face/Your way…/Father,
lead us/Spirit, guide us/Jesus, show us Your way/Won’t You move us to the
places where the broken find healing in Your Name?”
‘Come Alive’ finds Jeremy decidedly sure in purpose: “There
is freedom that begins by receiving the forgiveness that cleanses us all/All
the broken and bleeding, just start by believing/His love has conquered death’s
call…/I walk out on the battlefield/See that all the pain is real/Be the hands
that stop the bleeding/Seeing all these wounded souls/All they really need is
hope/I’ll show Your great love is healing.”
‘My God’ is a great original praise and worship song: “My God/You
are/The unchanging love/My God/Your heart/Sends hope from above/The Great
Creator/Beautiful Savior/I’ve been redeemed/There is life now from Your
victory/You are my God.” Jeremy and his
family support Compassion International and travel to places like Josiah’s
House, a home for boys in the Dominican Republic, and New Hope Haiti Mission, a
children’s home. ‘We Need’ is anything
but selfish: “We need a heart for the hopeless/Reaching the places
unspoken/Move me Lord/Raise up a desperate people/Leading the lost and the
feeble/Use me Lord/Use me Lord…/Here I am, use me Lord.”
John Catchings plays cello on the ballad ‘Reign in Me’. This song shows Jeremy to be pure in heart:
“I have seen so many teardrops fall to the ground/I’ve held the hand of God’s
children/Once lost and now found/I have walked it and I know/That my King is
alive/And no other one/Has the love You provide/I want all who I meet/To see
You through me/I want all that I speak to be You.” If all of us would pray these words from
‘Without You’ daily, our lives would greatly benefit from it: “My heart’s
desire is You Lord, yeah…/And I’m letting go/I give control/It’s not my
will/But Yours I’ll follow/And I lay my life down at Your feet/And I know/I
won’t make a move without You.”
A press release says RECKLESS “just might inspire listeners
to surrender everything, even what they never thought they could give up.” What a lofty goal! Jeremy Camp just may be Christian music’s
resident hunk, now that Michael W. Smith is getting older. What Camp delivers up here is a strong
collection of adult rock songs that should please Christian radio and his no
doubt largely female fan base. If you
have enjoyed Camp’s previous efforts, you’ll enjoy this one. There aren’t any surprises. On his next album I would like to see a
couple heavier rockers, a couple electric guitar solos, and a duet with a
female CCM artist. I’m recommending this
album with a great message to fans of Third Day and Kutless. I’m rating it 84%. For more info visit www.jeremycamp.com and www.becrecordings.com.