Audio Adrenaline's Kings & Queens Royally Showered With Unshakable Conviction

Kentucky foursome Audio Adrenaline is astute enough at this stage in their career (ninth album) to realize different folks like their uplift served in different flavors. Like your spirit movement in an excitable dance frame? "He Moves, You Move" certainly will motivate even the most coordination deprived to break out in giddy gyrations. Jason Walker infuses this on high hullabaloo with sprightly keyboards. Crispness of arrangements gets this lovely jewel from "Kings & Queens" off to a promising start. Newbie vocalist an former DC Talk member Kevin Max asserts his presence early. What a stalwart companion to seek deep answers with. The tail end of the set, "The Answer" distinguishes itself with a rare mash up of rap and rock. At its vivacious core Kevin doesn't skimp on electricity. "Seekers" opens its outstretched arms to many disenfranchised quadrants of the population including heartsick widows. You could take his hand fairly confident he wouldn't drop you. As a foursome Audio Adrenaline ambles forward with the courage of their convictions but are thoughtful enough not to lurch forward into evangelical preacher territory. "King of the Comebacks" zeroes in on the zones of our brains that love underdog stories. Get ready to shuffle those feet again. Kevin's anticipation of a game changing miracle is infectious. Even skeptics would be hard pressed to swipe his hard-fought time in the sun. Behind the skins, Jared Byers keeps this valiant quest for enlightenment and peace on track. "I Climb the Mountain" exemplifies fortitude at its burliest. What sharp hooks it possessed as well. Kevin once again demonstrates what a quick study in earnestness he is. You don't question his resolve. You know there's no obstacle big or bad enough to shake his depth of focus. It's a common theme throughout "Kings and Queens". Confidence that God shall provide what's needed is the other. All the inner purity Kevin had on display as a member of DC Talk serves him magnificently with his new bandmates. Good intentions aside religious zealotry can be a turn off to people not wanting to part of a guerrilla campaign to bring sinners, real or otherwise, back to "the flock". Luckily Audio Adrenaline doesn't alienate potential converts but instead is right there, ready, willing, and able with 10 songs that, when assessed as a total package, fit snugly hand in hand like a hearty handshake.