Rock, Reverence, and Romance

A little bit of Creed, a little bit of Pearl Jam, a little bit of romance... These were the key ingredients for 24-year-old Jeremy Camp's debut CD, Stay. However, the singer's life isn't nearly as polished as his music. Only two and a half years ago, Jeremy's 21-year-old wife died of cancer. Though Stay was not necessarily the direct product of Jeremy's heartache, much of the music was inspired by the troubles and battles in his life. His honesty makes his music accessible to everyone, while his artistry sets him apart from the crowd.

**UNDERSTAND**
Stay begins with some edgy electric guitars. "To know that You are everything i need to be/You're my ever-present help in time of need," sings Jeremy to his Savior. The basis of Understand is that the Lord is always there, always knows what's happening, and still Jeremy finds himself asking, "So why don't i get back on my feet again?" It seems like an issue of apathy: knowing that God will provide but still being unwilling to completely trust in His provision. As the guitars grind away, Jeremy's question is crafted into an awesome very-slightly-pop-ish/rock sound.

**RIGHT HERE**
Right Here shifts the pace slightly into more of an R&B/ballad feel (yes, feel, not sound). It's a song about how God is present everywhere. Jeremy's voice is strong, and it possesses a sincerity that matches the slower pacing of the song. While several of the other Stay songs are more outstanding, Right Here is very catchy. Though the chorus of "You're right here/right here" is repetitive, it's far from annoying.

**WALK BY FAITH**
Walk by Faith takes on a more somber tone. Jeremy's voice is a bit lighter on this tune. The music in the background is a sweeping rock concert/orchestra blend, with strings that accentuates the message of the song: "i will walk by faith even when i cannot see/because this broken road prepares Your will for me." The lyrics seem as if they come from an elaborate praise and worship song: not exactly original, but still portraying deeper meaning without being too redundant.

**STAY**
Jeremy's title track introduces the grittiness that has brought about comparisons to Creed and 3 Doors Down. Stay breezes through in three minutes and twenty seconds. There is an incandescent quality to the track, an intense anthem about remaining "right here in the light/so you won't walk away."

**ALL THE TIME**
All the Time is a powerful rock love song. The words "with every moment of every day/my heart is aching with words to say" might lead some to think that Jeremy composed the song for his wife, though i think the second verse makes it clear that All the Time was directed to God: "My words are wasted when i don't speak of all Your wonders..." There are guitars pounding and cymbals crashing in the background, creating a very forceful, untypical praise song. They trip along intermittently and cut out abruptly at the song winds down.

**I STILL BELIEVE**
This is the song Jeremy composed as his wife lay dying in the hospital. Despite the inevitable knowledge that she was going to leave him soon, Jeremy was still able to pen a refrain of "i still believe in Your faithfulness/i still believe in Your truth/...even when i don't see, i still believe." I Still Believe also shows off the poet lurking deep within Camp; he mentions the "questions that fog up my mind" and that "i throw to You my feeble prayers." One of Stay's biggest radio hits, I Still Believe is full of an indescribable passion. It sounds as though Jeremy's heart is just burning to share what he has discovered through his tragedy.

**ONE DAY AT A TIME**
One Day at a Time follows suit as a rugged rock melody, bursting with slamming drums and and a hard staccato "i've been shut up/shut down/held out/held down/...burnt out/broken/torn out/torn down." The verses sound rather melancholy, but the chorus is assertive and lively; Jeremy's compelling crooning perfectly complements the song's gutsy nature.

**BREAKING MY FALL**
Another husky melody earning its way unto the airwaves is Breaking My Fall, a tune about God's grace and how it is always there to "break our fall"--support us in both good and bad times, though this song seems to focus more on the difficult aspects of life. "So easily i fall/so easily You reach Your hand out/...so quickly will i trust in anything i think is worthy." Breaking My Fall is pretty without being flowery, lightly swirling without descending into the realm of pop. It also happens to be my favorite Stay song.

**NOTHING**
A looping electric guitar resonates behind Jeremy's cry in Nothing. "And knowing You surround me/Your wings coat my despair/Whatever my condition/the cross, it shows you care." He admits that we can do nothing to earn God's love; it's just there, and "nothing i can do/nothing i can say/can make You love me more." i wouldn't classify Nothing as filler, since it clearly has characteristics that make it worthy of more airplay than some tossed-together filler song. Still, while it rises above the normal perception of such music, it lacks that extra edge that pushes it into the range of truly rememberable songs. After the melody has gradually built into a wall of music, Nothing ends rather quickly with the instrumentation suddenly just fading out.

**I KNOW YOU'RE CALLING**
"I know You're calling/And i see Your arms stretched wide/And i feel You drawing/drawing me back again." This song incorporates some of the higher, short, borderline-soprano vocals a la Pearl Jam's Last Kiss, as well as some similar musical conventions of the group LaRue. The rock flavor blasts through the whole song until the repetition of the verses at the end, where Jeremy's voice softens for a spell. I Know You're Calling boasts a sturdy, commanding melody, but it fades a little in the "originality" category.

**TAKE MY LIFE**
Take my Life is the rockiest song on the album. It is Jeremy's plea for God to "take my life/take my mind/take my soul/take my will/i am Yours now and i give it all to You." He explains the reasons for such a sacrifice with a brawny voice, growling and raspy in places. The song ends with a scream of "Take my life!" This would probably be the song that would provoke you to headbang, if you're the type of person who randomly headbangs in places other than hardcore concerts. Hey, there's nothing wrong with that.

**IN YOUR PRESENCE**
Stay ends on a calmer note with In Your Presence. "Hallelujah, You are my God/Maker of the Heavens" is the reverent message Jeremy tries to depict with his final piece. There are gently twanging guitars amplifying the fervent (but still heavily rock-flavored) mood. The words are simple but poignant. In Your Presence drops out gently, and thus, the CD has come to an end.

**FINAL COMMENTS**
Though i've mentioned a few instances of unoriginal lyrics and/or musicality, i still believe that Jeremy Camp has produced an almost flawless record. His voice is flexible and entertains everything from the scratchy-throat screaming genre to the subdued-Lifehouse genre. The extract of rock is never too overpowering; the words could still be spiced up a little but are not vapid or cheesy. Stay's music clearly exemplifies Jeremy's faith without being overbearing, as well. His pervasive honesty flows through the entire disc, making it very easy for the audience to identify with his struggles and joys. Although Mr. Camp has already experienced considerable radio time, i hope he gains more in the days to come. Stay is an enjoyable and genuine listening experience that comes across as a very classy version of rock/pop in a Creed-laden world. It earns 4.5 stars.