Louder Than The Music

NeedToBreathe will release their third album 'The Outsiders' in August. The 14-song album is described as "seamlessly blending ambient, arena-ready soundscapes with a decidedly Southern sensibility".

Lead vocalist Bear Rinehart explains, "The 'Southern thing' is very scary to some people, but for us, it's not so much a sound than a feeling. It's just about having some soul in the words you write, the music that you play. And it's something that just comes naturally to us."

Further describing the new album, the band's press release states: "From the soaring majesty of "Something Beautiful" to the philosophically minded ballad "These Hard Times," his vocals are emotive yet honest, making the words he's singing all the more powerful and moving. "Stones Under Rushing Water" (featuring Sara Watkins) is achingly beautiful, both musically and, perhaps even more so, lyrically.

Then there's the blues-inflected rocker "Prisoner" with its searing guitar solo - a first for the band. The alt-rock edge of "Hurricane" is countered by the back-porch ease of "Won't Turn Back" and the gospel feel of "Lay 'Em Down." The Peter Gabriel-esque anthem "Through Smoke" (inspired by a toy organ the group bought at a thrift store) and the orchestrally driven "Garden," build on the album's wide range of sounds."

"Over the past two albums, we've learned that you can't look to a producer to make you great, that the magic has to come from within the band," Bear explains. "Instead, we wanted to work with collaborators that would bring a fresh perspective and, on the practical side, a particular expertise to the table." To that end, the band deliberately chose to co-produce The Outsiders with three different producers with recording sessions taking place in Los Angeles, Atlanta, and Charleston. "We know this is the best record we've ever made" says Bear.