::ALBUM REVIEW::

The order of the day in modern music calls upon the shifting of legends into what is current. This is needed to keep artists fresh, innovative and in the swing of what is popular. Men of Standard (MOS) debuted in the 1990s with their reinvention of the urban contemporary gospel sound established by the Winans and Commissioned. Following in the flow of their influences, Men of Standard delivered some considerable heat on the Muscle Shoals label for several years while experimenting with a few urban image recreations and hip-hop production from notable architects including J. Moss and Fred Hammond. Now on the Sony Urban label, Men of Standard goes through a few more transitional cycles (i.e. sitting now in the executive producer chair, the shocking departure of Michael Bacon) while incorporating a fresh, appealing hip-hop package mostly used by boy bands.

The production responsibilities on their newest release, "Surrounded", shifts towards Warryn "Baby Dubb" Campbell (Mary Mary). Of course, production disappointments should not be expected with Campbell on board since he is highly recognized and sought out for being a skillful producer, songwriter and accomplished musician. He also co-writes most of the songs with the MOS crew and brings on some serious big names into the album's boiling brew.

Kicking things off is infectious "I Will", which contains a neat marriage of 80s synths and urban dance. The song is a great opener to their newfound musical transition, but the song ends abruptly after two minutes of play. "Power" contains synth walks and soft piano - almost reminiscent of the colorful combinations associated to Prince's work in the 1980s. It has a throwback vibe and definitely challenges MOS to experiment with different musical vibes. The smooth, reggae-accented "Alright" features horn bursts, a smooth midtempo groove and bluesy Jamaican organ sounds. Former rap mega-star Heavy D guests on the track with reggae-styled rap. Nice idea, but Heavy should have graced a track with more rhythm and more beat while delivering to his fanbase what he was best known for. The rock/R&B ballad "Cover Me" is flooded with melodic thickness and will surely gain a considerable amount of attention. "I Need You" has one of those relaxing, contemporary jazz vibes and is excellent for MOS' vocal maturity. It is probably the only glimpse on this project reflecting the work on their early albums.

The guest appearances really show up towards the end of the album. Tye Tribbett gives a preachy performance on "Yours". With the soft-rock sounds, guitar blasts and heavy drum work, the track works well with all of the vocal arrangements. Excitement will surely bubble since the freshness of this track proves to be a winning feature for both Tribbett and MOS. The rock edge here is definitely new to MOS, but is common in Tye Tribbett's musical arsenal. Kirk Franklin comes aboard on Clifton Edwards' "Latter Rain". With a worshipful posture, Franklin speaks throughout the track with mighty conviction and rewarding zeal; giving the song a distinctive spiritual touch. Men of Standard handles much of the background duties while blending in with a special chorus featuring Nikki Ross and Anashya Figueroa.

Some of the more upsetting moments on "Surrounded" dwell around some of the musical changes and lack of stronger material for MOS' voices. The production here is excellent but there are some things that will alert MOS's fans of their earlier contributions. Case of example: "Everybody", first introduced on Woody Rock's "Soul Music" project, gets a revisit here - minus the thick party bounce and a slower pace. Even though it was pretty much a cool idea to revisit the obscure cut from the forgotten music archives, the song lacks the energy from the original and doesn't come off as being impressive. Their jump into more material catered for younger audiences also is a strong notice to the album's shifts. "Last Time" conjures up the familiar sounds of J. Moss productions with the bouncy hip-R&B drive. The sounds are good, the vocals and harmonies are even better, but it's a track that would easily work for J. Moss or newer groups like 21:03. Add to the fact that this album is much shorter in time length when compared to most albums today. Only ten tracks and most of them clocking at an average of three minutes is a sure sign of possible consumer dissatisfaction.

Of course, Men of Standard is far from being a boy band like B2K, Dru Hill and 112. Their vocals are too mature and polished - and it's because of their vocal professionalism that they deserve tracks that adequately compliment them. Not cutesy, bubble-gum tracks crafted for youthful audiences. And while the minor jumps into different patterns (rock, reggae, contemporary jazz) show signs of MOS' adrenaline rush into adventurous material, they shouldn't jump away so quickly from the sound that has made a name for them. Campbell offers what he is known for here - the songs are good and are well arranged. But something resembling their soulful side like their bigger hits of "Winter", "Trust In God" or "In Your Will" would have really made the day.