Micah Stampley – Ransomed

Micah Stampley
Ransomed
Interface Entertainment/Central South Distribution 2009
www.micahstampley.org

I first became acquainted with praise and worship singer Micah Stampley when he crooned the soothing “Take My Life” on T.D. Jakes’ 2004 He-Motions project (EMI Gospel/Dexterity Sounds). The components of this single – silky smooth, warm and impassioned singing; lovely, uncomplicated melodies; and gently pulsing arrangements — can be heard in abundance on his latest album, Ransomed.

Recorded live August 15, 2008 at the Greater Travelers Rest MB Church in Decatur, Georgia (Rev. E. Dewey Smith, Jr., Pastor), Ransomed is peppermint candy for the soul. Thematically, the album asserts that disease, pain, sin, etc. are ills from which people are healed, or “ransomed,” by God, who bestows upon us His power so we can keep ourselves out of trouble henceforward. At the outset, Dr. Cindy Trimm preaches on this theme during her almost poetic introduction of Stampley.

The musicians – including Joey Woolfalk and Jonathan DuBose on guitars – provide a firm foundation and a steady pace. Theory, the featured background vocal group, delivers modern harmonies and shifts dynamics in lock-step parallel with Stampley. Theory and Stampley are at their best, in fact, when together they build in volume and intensity during a musical climax.

While much of the album features meditative lyrics that frequently muse on the elements of wind and rain, and onomatopoeic melodies that ripple gently in support of the theme, Stampley flexes his gospel chops time and again, especially so on snippets of the gospel chestnut “Solid Rock” and Andrae Crouch’s “Always Remember.” His aerobic ad-libbing on these two songs turns the congregation out every time.

At the album’s conclusion, Stampley introduces fellow Houstonian and incendiary gospel singer Nakitta Clegg-Foxx who duets with him on “Be Encouraged.” She characteristically turns up the heat on the proceedings, as she has done in the company of other artists such as Kurt Carr, James Fortune, Gary Mayes and Nu Era, and Bishop Paul Morton.

V. Michael McKay’s “The Corinthian Song” is perfect for Stampley’s range and vocal delivery, and “Speak Into My Life” is another pleasing track, but “How Great You Are” is the album’s true praise and worship highlight. It is so illustrative of Stampley’s artistry it could be his musical cornerstone, but I’m sure there’s much more to come from one of P&W’s finest male vocalists.

Four of Five Stars