to listen or purchase
The songs on One Voice, Micah Stampley’s latest album, all have those great hooks that are destined to be sung during praise and worship services in churches across America. That is definitely the case for “Overcome.” The youth will love the Florida Seminole-like war cry that opens up the energetic “Hosanna.”
Praise leaders know how to select the segment of a gospel song suited for congregational singing. Of course, a song should have more than just a catchy hook and in that regard, a track like “Overcome” is trademark Stampley. Stampley does not obscure the religious nature of his songs in order to attract a crossover audience, and he includes references to scripture in his songs. A tune like “Overcome” is a traditional choral number featuring lyrics that invite listeners to worship God.
The songs on One Voice, Micah Stampley’s latest album, all have those great hooks that are destined to be sung during praise and worship services in churches across America. That is definitely the case for “Overcome.” The youth will love the Florida Seminole-like war cry that opens up the energetic “Hosanna.”
Praise leaders know how to select the segment of a gospel song suited for congregational singing. Of course, a song should have more than just a catchy hook and in that regard, a track like “Overcome” is trademark Stampley. Stampley does not obscure the religious nature of his songs in order to attract a crossover audience, and he includes references to scripture in his songs. A tune like “Overcome” is a traditional choral number featuring lyrics that invite listeners to worship God.
While Stampley remains lyrically and thematically constant, he also uses the music to get heads nodding. A tune such as the aforementioned “Hosanna” features the kind of production techniques heard in contemporary hip-hop and R&B, while tracks such as “High Praise” and “Call of Love” draw their musical inspiration from pop and rock. Stampley even dips his toe into folk on the cut “Desperate People.” This track shows that Stampley is able to metaphorically flip the script as well. Desperation is often another way of saying risky, but the desperate people Stampley is singing about want more than their empty and sinful lives have to offer. The next track, “Search for You,” is the perfect compliment as its opening line comes uses Psalms 42:1 to illustrate how far desperate people will go to get what they need from God.
One Voice is a record that expresses Stampley’s musical and spiritual mission. He may use modern production techniques but his lyrics reveal as a traditionalist with a single-minded mission to preach the word through song.
Notable tracks: Overcome, Heaven on Earth, Desperate People, Call of Love
Vocals: 3.5
Lyrics: 3.0
Instrumentation: 3.5
Production: 3.0
SoulTracks call: Recommended
By Howard Dukes