Adam Agee from American rock band STELLAR KART talks us through the tracks on their new album

Stellar Kart

Down the years Stellar Kart, from Phoenix, Arizona, have matured in a way not dissimilar to another of CCM's big sellers, Relient K. Moving from full on purveyors of punchy, pop punk music to a more rounded rock sound. The band's first for their new label INO is, to most critics' ears, the best album the team have so far produced featuring as well as pop punk energy a couple of surprise revivals of oldies and some convincing moves into worship while the production by Ian Eskelin is top rate. Here vocalist and guitarist Adam Agee talks us through 'Everything Is Different Now'.

"All My Heart"
Matthew 22:36-38 says, "Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?" Jesus replied: "'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment." This passage was the lyrical inspiration for this song. This song is meant to be an upbeat rallying cry for people to give their lives up wholeheartedly to God and celebrate the freedom that comes with doing so.

"We Shine"
Our focus as a band from day one has been to encourage our fans to be unafraid and unashamed to show the world what they believe. This song talks about going into the darkest places and carrying the light of Jesus to extinguish the darkness. Matthew 5:14 says, "You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden." Blending in and hiding in the shadows is not an option.

"Something Holy"
In this life, the need to belong drives us to cling to relationships with friends and family. When we give our lives to God, we then belong to a greater family with a greater father than we could have ever known otherwise. This song is a reminder to keep the faith even when times are tough. Believing in God does not mean your life is going to be a fairy tale. There are going to be highs and lows, trials and triumphs. As we make our way through this life, it is important to be reminded that we are a part of something holy.

"Spirit In The Sky"
We put this song on the record as a tribute to '70s rock and roll. The lyrics are spiritual in nature, but it was not necessarily written to be a religious song. We really enjoy putting our spin on classic songs, but would never attempt to compete with the original tracks. I feel as though the vibe of this song fits what we were trying to accomplish with the record and gives it a bit more depth.

"Everything Is Different Now"
As the title track of the new album, the subject of this song is one that we can all relate to - change. The past year has been difficult for a lot of people, us included. With the economy failing, we've seen people lose their jobs, families lose their homes, and a general fear of uncertainty has caused our country to re-evaluate the way we operate. We have experienced change, both good and bad, and have learned to trust God's timing in all aspects of our lives and careers.

This song took on a whole new life at a youth camp we played this past summer. We played the song on the same night that the speaker was talking about earthly fathers and our heavenly father. So many people there had difficult childhoods growing up with abusive fathers or no father figure at all. It was so amazing to see the change in those kids that week knowing that our song played a small part in helping them experience a better life.

"It's Not Over"
This is another song that I wrote in response to the economic crisis. My dad had actually just lost his job and I was again questioning God's plan and the reason for all the awful things that people had to endure. The lyrics are meant to encourage people who are going through tough times and let them know that whatever happens in this life is not the end of the story. The music is something different than previous projects.

"Rescue"
The lyrics shout out the fact that God is our hope and rescue. This song is a celebration of the fact that when we are saved, no power can stand against us. Energetic and upbeat, this is a song you can sing out at the top of your lungs for the whole world to hear.

"Never Let Go"
Matt Redman is one of my favourite worship leaders/songwriters. He was a huge influence in my life when I first started writing, playing and singing. I saw him lead worship at a conference 10 years ago, and it blew me away. The way he led thousands of people to the throne in worship inspired me to use what God had given me for the Kingdom. To be able to put one of his songs on our record is a great honour, especially one that fits so perfectly with the theme of the album.

"Until My Heart Caves In"
When we first started playing music, our favourite band was Audio Adrenaline. We played some worship songs, but mostly just covered Audio A songs at our shows. You could have even called us a tribute band. This is one of our favourites from the band, and lyrically it fit right in with what we were trying to accomplish. Again, it is an honour to record a song from the band that set the example for us in Christian music.

"Like The Sun"
A recurring lyrical theme throughout our career has been, "don't give up." We want to be there to help and encourage people as they navigate their way through life. Sometimes we find ourselves in dark places where it seems the night will never end. God promises that he will never leave us or forsake us. The music takes a trip through time, beginning with a 1940s sound, progressing to a 1960s vibe, then moving on through the decades to end with a '90s rock guitar solo at the end.