NEEDTOBREATHE are comprised of brothers Bear Rinehart (vocals, guitar) and Bo Rinehart (guitar, vocals), Seth Bolt (bass, vocals), and Josh Lovelace (keys, vocals). The band signed to Atlantic Records and quickly achieved huge cross-genre success in the US via five studio albums and innumerable headline tours.
This Grammy-Award nominated quartet is set to release their new album H A R D L O V E through Atlantic Records on July 15th. This will be NEEDTOBREATHE’s sixth full-length studio release.
It follows from 2014’s Rivers in the Wasteland, which became a global smash hit, debuting in the Billboard Chart at No.3 and topping the Rock and Alternative album charts. It also spawned two huge hit singles, the gold-selling ‘Brother’ (feat. Gavin DeGraw) and the Grammy-nominated ‘Multiply’.
This band from South Carolina has already unveiled three tracks, as of today, from the upcoming album to let their fans have a taste of H A R D L O V E.
The Singles
“HAPPINESS”
“Happiness” is the first track from the group’s new album H A R D L O V E. It scored the band their second-best debut and eighth Top 10. The single landed No. 5 on Billboard’s Hot Christian Songs chart (dated April 23). The track is the band’s second-highest of 22 charted titles, following 2014’s “Wasteland,” which debuted at No. 4. The new track is also the band’s eighth top 10.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VF-QLbjpNVw
“Happiness” is a feel-good song due to it’s very lively chorus that could easily find its way in a church choir song book. Church choirs do tend to sing very lively and inspiring songs and this track is definitely included in that category.
However, under the “happiness”, there’s an underlying message about asking for forgiveness. It might imply that a certain someone did something bad to another person but in the end the act done is a necessary factor to achieve happiness. And now the person who did the act is asking for forgiveness for what he has done. It has a hint of deepness and sadness but liveliness of the song’s beat and rhythm masks that. All in all, this single will make you feel good in the first listen but as you listen to it over and over again, it will make you think about what the lyrics really mean.
In its first sales week, ending Thursday, April 7, “HAPPINESS” sold 13,000 downloads, according to Nielsen Music, and launches atop Christian Digital Songs, becoming the group’s fourth leader on the tally. On Christian Airplay, “HAPPINESS” starts at No. 46 (463,000 in audience).
“MONEY & FAME”
“MONEY & FAME” is the second track to be taken from H A R D L O V E. It’s quite different from the previous track. While “Happiness” was a lively song, this one is tad bit more thrilling and punk rock.
With lyrics such as “money and fame bring a man to shame/ain’t no doubt about it” and “I found the bottom from the top somehow”, the track talks about the negative effects of being a celebrity with “money and fame” to his name. It might imply that being rich and famous causes more problems than benefit, which can be true.
“MONEY & FAME,” arrives on Hot Christian Songs at No. 19; shifting 5,000 downloads, it opens on Christian Digital Songs at No. 7. NEEDTOBREATHE will hit the road starting Aug. 17 in Raleigh, N.C., on what it has dubbed the Tour de Compadres, with supporting acts that will include Mat Kearney, among others.
“NO EXCUSES”
“NO EXCUSES” is the third track from the new album and it was released just this month. This song is a bit slower and more country compared to the previous tracks. It will make you think about campfires and intimate moments with your friends around the said campfire. It’s slow and mellow beat is perfect for when you just want to have a quiet and relaxing night at home.
Despite the shortness of the track (less than 3 minutes), it’s very substantial due to its very meaningful lyrics. It talks about a long time lover who you thought was the one but that person ended up only breaking your heart. “There’s no excuses for what you’re doing.” While the beat and rhythm will make you feel relaxed, the lyrics will just make you feel sad and will bring back all those unhappy memories from before.
H A R D L O V E is now available for pre-order, with all purchases accompanied by instant grat downloads of the lead single, ‘HAPPINESS’ as well as the album tracks ‘MONEY & FAME’ and ‘NO EXCUSES’. Exclusive album pre-order bundles that also include limited-edition merchandise will be available at the band’s Official Online Store (store.NEEDTOBREATHE.com).
Signed copies of H A R D L O V E will be available exclusively for UK fans from the day of release from Banquet Records, Kingston and through their website banquetrecords.com
The full list of dates for the band’s “Tour de Compadres” is also available on their website.
What do you think of NEEDTOBREATHE’s new tracks? Tell us what you think in the comments below or tweet us @CelebMix!