::ALBUM REVIEW::

Sometimes new artists, in the search to find identity, run across stumbling blocks along the way. And being an independent artist and young are two troubling factors in possible missteps. When you’re younger, you are quicker to rebel. Micah Stampley, a versatile singer and budding songwriter who was discovered at a Stellar Awards sing-off contest, got the opportunity of a lifetime when T.D. Jakes signed him to his Dexterity imprint. With Cedric Thompson showing Stampley the ropes, his debut offering (The Songbook of Micah) was a crown of glory for almost any new artist. Good music, great pipes, cool production and a solid single (“Take My Life (Holiness)”) ushered Stampley to number three on the gospel charts. But the success may have gone way over his head on the second round when the singer decided that for the next album he would walk away from the labels and strive to do things on his own. 2006's A Fresh Wind: The Second Sound... fared well for its first weeks, with listeners expecting Stampley to deliver what his debut offered, but quickly faded away without a trace of a hit radio single. The album, produced by Israel & New Breed’s Aaron Lindsey, succumbed into forgetfulness when the album ushered Stampley into uncomfortable, bland pop worship.

On his third outing, Ransomed, he switches producers once again; this time hiring gospel veteran Kevin Bond. But don’t look for Bond’s songwriting fingerprint to emerge from the playlist. Stampley, along with his wife Heidi, pens mostly all of the offerings and leaves only a little room for a traditional hymn highlight bearing Kim Burrell-esque melisma action (“Solid Rock”), a V. Michael McKay tune and a reprising “Always Remember” from the Andrae’ Crouch’s songbook. Even with Stampley’s gospel-drenched vocals and his passion to break heavy into the worship bracket, Kevin Bond - with his impressive expertise - is probably the best qualified candidate in taking Stampley back to what made him accessible from the beginning.

Opening the set, “Rain” is heavy on synth magic; sporting a groovy contemporary groove and bubbling chords. While it is a welcoming opener and has the same pulse of Marvin Sapp’s “One Thing,” it doesn’t click with urgency. “Lend Your Song to Me,” with its eclectic world sounds, gives off Judith McAllister sparks but is the wrong follow-up to the bouncy, energetic “Rain” and lacks interest since the song barely develops from beginning to end - even on the worshipful reprise.

What baffles the brain is why so many slow songs are strung together, even if Stampley is most comfortable with slowly-paced worship tunes. When the party initially kicks off, each song afterwards is an extended stanza of the previous. But all isn’t a bore: “Speak Into My Life,” calmly injecting a melody bits from the chorus of Walter Hawkins’ “Marvelous,” is well suited for Stampley’s passionate pleas and gives him a good stab at groaning gospel. “Close to You,” with its attractive lyrics (“Lord my heart burns for you/With a kiss I salute you/Like the cool morning dew/Let my love lavish you”), bears the docility of a quiet, tranquil lullaby but gently ascends into a fervent vamp surrounded by intimate harmonies and musicianship. Kurt Carr singer Nakitta Clegg-Foxx joins with Stampley on “Be Encouraged;” a slightly-bent gospel/jazz ballad that melodically imitates John P. Kee’s “We Made It” (from Strength). It’s full of cliches’ and is far from being an ear-striking standout, but is a worthy enough appetizer for the album’s generally slow-paced tempo.

Rather than kicking against the prick, Stampley does a fine job in mending together the likeable personalities from his former releases. The infectious and hyper energy, bolstered by the potent high-octane wails and high notes, is present along with heavy loads of the tamed universally-appealing worship leader. Far better balanced and entertaining than A Fresh Wind, it’s still far in between from being gospel royalty. Sure Kevin Bond’s sounds are staggeringly present and occasionally gives the album the kind of splash that today’s albums crave for, but with a few catchy and irresistible uptempo grooves, more emphasis on melody and not so much of worshipful repetitiveness, Ransomed could have easily been a better effort than most worship-related projects. Instead it’s another whiff of easy-listening content, jammed with lots of album filler and forgettable music offerings.