By 96five NetworkMonday 31 Aug 2020MusicReading Time: 3 minutes
When Grammy Award nominees NEEDTOBREATHE left the comfort of a Charleston beach house to record their new record ‘Out of Body’ in February this year, they had no idea that their recording party would soon become their quarantine family, as COVID-19 took hold around them.
With the looming threat of a global pandemic growing in size, and the departure of a core band member fresh in their minds, NEEDTOBREATHE were entering the studio with conditions ripe for failure, but a thirst to prove themselves.
Following on from the bands critically acclaimed album ‘Hard Love’ which was the band’s first ARIA Charting album and hit No. 2 on the US Billboard 200, ‘Out of Body’ marks the band’s first album in four years, and first release without member Bo Rinehart, who announced his departure in April this year.
“We went in to make a record without Bo for the very first time, and honestly, we didn’t know how that was going to go. The reason we’re still here is that it went great. It was surprising, it was different, but it was inspiring,” said Bear Rinehart . “Truthfully, this was a really tough thing to go through as a band, but we’re really excited about this record. I think it has a lot to offer the world right now.”
At a time when the future seems more uncertain than ever before, NEEDTOBREATHE have leaned heavily on their past, with ‘Out of Body’ playing with the themes of childhood innocence, self-growth, reflection and the freedom of youth. There’s nods at the current climate on ‘Survival’ and an ode to love and their spouses on ‘Banks’.
On Out of Body, the platinum-certified trio—Bear Rinehart [vocals, guitar], Seth Bolt [bass, vocals], and Josh Lovelace [keys, vocals]—examine life, family, and friends through a youthful prism. Across 11 brand new tracks, the trio take stock of not only two decades as a band, but also first-time fatherhood and the future, over a rich soundtrack of soulful rock with stadium-size scope and poetic intimacy.
After spending a week at a beach house in Charleston to gather thoughts and ideas, the trio headed to Nashville, to record alongside producers Cason Cooley and Jeremy Lutito. As they cultivated a team atmosphere, the songs organically came to life.
“On the first day, I don’t think we went in there knowing we could do it for sure without Bo,” confesses Bear. “We wanted to do it, but we had to prove it to ourselves. Every time we’ve had a change, it’s a challenge to find new angles. Things are inevitably going to be different. On the other side, I’m as excited about this album as anything we’ve ever done. That’s not because somebody is here or isn’t here. The timing is right with what’s going on in the world and us individually. It feels like medicine in a lot of ways, and I’m thankful for that.”
“We’ve experienced a lot of fresh inspiration,” adds Seth. “It’s been a season of learning. Bear didn’t hold anything back in terms of writing about life: all of the beautiful things and the most tragic things that have happened in the past four years. I’m really proud of the statement the record makes.”
Australian fans of NEEDTOBREATHE, who flocked to the bands previous Australian tour by the tens of thousands and helped NEEDTOBREATHE achieve their first ARIA chart placement, were given their first official taste of the record with new single ‘Hang On’ which sees the group collectively firing on all cylinders. Energetic guitars charge towards a stadium-size refrain as nostalgic lyrics grasp for a memory of fleeting bliss; a fitting first taste for an album set to surprise in a big way.
NEEDTOBREATHE’s Out of Body is out now on all streaming platforms.
