What You Leave Behind (Sony, 2000)

The wait was a long time in coming for Ricochet's third album. And ultimately one wonders why as there is not a marked difference from this and previous efforts, which veered towards the high energy, pop end of country.

Lead singer Heath Wright showcases a vibrant voice, good with country, pop and soulful material, but the problem is a good half of the 10 songs never rise above mediocre. The songs are almost predictable musically with Wright's vocals quickly being reinforced by backing vocals and light-weight musical arrangements that are very safe. That's apparent from the catchy lead-off song, "She's Gone," ultimately falling victim to a syrupy light arrangement.

The sextet stands out most on the more straight-ahead country songs, Steve Young's "Seven Bridges Road" and Mickey Newbury's "Why You Been Gone So Long." Here, Wright's vocals particularly stand out, and the group provides the right country feel. Perhaps if they had only stuck to that vision when they started, Ricochet's latest would not have been bouncing around for so long.