Is there such a thing as a 'power pop punk rock' band? Could you even describe it if there were? Here's a plan - forget the labels. Stellar Kart already has. Instead of trying to fit into some preconceived notion of what they are supposed to sound like, Stellar Kart has spent the last year and a half defining, refining, smelting, hacking, merging, polishing, and crafting the twelve songs that comprise their highly anticipated sophomore release, We Can't Stand Sitting Down. A quick listen will convince even the most lead-eared among us that what you are hearing isn't punk rock music, or power punk music, or pop rock music, or whatever other label you might want to hang on it. It's just great music, performed by one of the hardest working bands in Christian music.

Our very own Bill Lurwick, host of the weekly New Christian Music PodCast, sat down with the guys of Stellar Kart earlier this year to talk about their recently released project.

How'd you guys hook up together?

We started out about four and a half years ago as a praise and worship band in our church. We played a ton of dates for youth groups, camps and conferences all over Southern Arizona and California. After three years, we had played about 300 shows and got an opportunity to open for By The Tree. Their lead singer offered to produce a demo for us, which we gave to Cody's friend's cousin who was in a band called Across the Sky. He handed it off to Word Record's A&R guy and we eventually got signed in August of 2004. We were about to go out on tour and our album was coming out in February and all of a sudden, our bass player quit. So we had to scramble to find a bass player and through some contacts with Word Records, that's when we hooked up with Brian.

Let's talk about the new project. Where does the title come from? It's kind of unique.

We were in the van—we're always in the van-and Brian said, "I can't stand sitting down." We were just talking about sitting down all day. Someone else said, "Neither can I," and that became the "we." So yeah, that was the new album title.

What are some of the messages on the record?

One of the songs is called "Anything But Now" and it's about struggling with being content no matter what circumstance you're given. Like Paul, he was in jail and said, "I've learned the secret, and that is to be content in any circumstance." It talks about always waiting for tomorrow, for something new. You'll never find happiness as long as you're always waiting for the next best thing.

We really like the entire project, but the song to look for is going to be "Me and Jesus." That song comes from the perspective of someone encouraging their friend who is kind of down and has no where else to turn, saying, look, when there's nowhere else to turn, you've got me and you've got Jesus. He's right here by your side.

The album certainly has a positive outlook on life and it's an album full of hope. It's a realization that we can't make it though this life on our own. We can't do this on our own understanding and strength but we can do it with God's help by allowing him to step in and take control.

Is the music thematically and musically the same style as what you did before?

It's similar. It's just more professional and lyrically mature. There's more stuff going on in the songs. We want our listeners to be happy and just sing along.

Is this what you guys have always wanted to do?

We can't really imagine doing anything else. Most of us wanted to be professional athletes, but as soon as we found music, that was it.

Is it hard for you guys to travel so much and not get a rock star mentality?

God just continues to humble us. Every single time we begin to think we're something special, God ends up taking it away. There are several versus in Proverbs that says after a man's pride comes his downfall. We know not to get ahead of ourselves.

We'll be plugging along and going great, playing a bunch of amazing shows and then we'll have a show that has like fifty people there. We're just like, wow, ok. We're not it and it's not all about us. We've really learned to just go out there and kill it because those fifty people that are there are there for a reason.

When you do get some off time, what do you like to do?

We like to work out, play golf and basketball. Cody and Brian like to get as far away as possible, even out of the country and just disappear and relax.

Is there anything you want to say to your fans?

Thanks to anyone who's jumped on the Stellar Kart wagon. Get our new CD and keep requesting our stuff on the radio. Just keep on fighting the good fight. God bless!