Steve Cole’s exhilarating new album, Without a Doubt, his first outing with producer and songwriter partner Adam Hawley, finds Cole taking the opportunity of this fresh start to approach his music with the open mind of a beginner and the confidence of a veteran at the top of his game. Without a Doubt is a breezy affair that packs a high-energy punch. The album is chock full of memorable melodies that could be easily retooled as hits for the likes of the Commodores or Earth, Wind & Fire. In a sense , that brings Cole full circle to some of his earliest musical experiences. Cole’s longtime producer David Mann also returns, adding horn arrangements and reeds to “C’mon Y’all” and “One, Two!”