(Photo : Joshua Rogers "Unconditional" Album Cover)

If an album cover is a snapshot of the overall tenor of the songs, Joshua Rogers' "Unconditional" is most telling.  Donning a contemporary rakish look garish with his gelled locks and a sleek black jacket, "Unconditional" has a crisp youthful sound that bops along with lots of svelte grooves yet all the while keeping an unflinching focus on Jesus and his Word.  In fact, this album's cover is by far more befitting of this 19 year-old than that of his debut "Well Done" which depicts a stilted black and white Rogers in a suit and tie pose.  Rogers was born in Greeleyville, South Carolina and he grew up singing and playing drums at the Apostolic Church pastored by his own grandmother.  Earlier this year, Rogers auditioned for the fifth season of "Sunday Best."  And before a penal of judges that comprises of Yolanda Adams, CeCe Winans and Donnie McClurkin, Rogers (or more affectionately known as "Young Buck") wowed both the judges and fans with his stirring renditions of Gospel standards such as "Well Done," "We Expect You" and "Peace Be Still."  Later, Rogers went on to become the show's first male and youngest champion.

Having signed to Music World Entertainment, "Unconditional" is the first album after Rogers' win.  However, career wise "Unconditional" is Rogers' sophomore album following 2012's "Well Done."  Unlike "Well Done" which was essentially an album of Gospel covers, "Unconditional" features mostly newly written songs with only a few covers of older hymns and a worship chorus.  The album reaches its all time high with its penultimate cut "Never Alone." Featuring a jeep junk groove and Roger's velvety soulful vocals, "Never Alone" is a mid-tempo jam that soothes the heart with glowing assurances that God is always with us regardless of where we are.  Weaving his autobiography into his lead single "So Good," Rogers testifies from his own experiences how God's goodness could never be tarnished by the ups and downs of our moral aptitude.

If Ne-Yo were to do a Gospel song, it will be "I'll Trust You."  Accompanied by the superstar's signature keyboard flourishes and a finger snapping melody, the simplicity of trusting Jesus has never been more powerful presented as in "I'll Trust in You."  While the title cut "Unconditional" takes us into a time warp back to the old Motown sound. And the way Rogers vocally curls some of his notes brings back to mind Stevie Wonder at his best.  While "You Alone" starts off with crunchy guitars before Rogers leads us into a time of soulful worship.  To show that Rogers is still a church boy at heart, he brings us to the altar with "The Blood." Here Rogers serves us an entire platter of everything that makes Gospel music so delicious: the holy hollers, the impromptu talking and those Holy Spirit outburst moments.  

Three interludes of hymns and a classic chorus are segued in between the newly composed songs. Of note is Rogers' take of Marty Nystrom's "As the Deer."  Though Rogers does a soulful rendition of this 80s praise classic, one would wish that Rogers had written more verses to "As the Deer" making it a fuller song that just an over a minute snippet.  On the whole, "'Unconditional" fares well: here we get to hear Rogers' youthful side bristling with life and energy along some of today's best sounds and melodies.  Yet, never forgetting his roots, Rogers also shows us that he is still a church boy at heart whose love for Jesus unconditionally permeates right through these 13 songs.   

Joshua Rogers Unconditional TV Commercial [VIDEO]