We are about to take a look at my favorite CD so far this year. (By the way, I don't say this about every CD that I review.) I'm talking about NEEDTOBREATHE's most recent CD The Outsiders. I do have to admit that I'm a NEEDTOBREATHE fan. The album they released before this one, The Heat, is also one that finds its way into my CD player quite often.
The Outsiders includes 14 of the most creative songs I have heard in awhile. One of the great things about NEEDTOBREATHE is that they bring something a little different to the table. Some of their songs even have a little bit of a Gospel feel. It is truly refreshing to hear a different sound in the Christian Music genre. So far, the only radio single they have from this album is "Lay 'Em Down." This song has already broken the Top 10 in national charts and is one of Chattanooga's favorite Christian songs. "Lay 'Em Down" is a song that is touching people everyday and I have no doubt it will continue to do so. But the quality of the album goes far beyond the first single-every song on this disk is great. Sara Watkins from Nickel Creek even joins boys from NEEDTOBREATHE for the song "Stones Under Rushing Water".
The band's lyrics seem to always be about something close to their hearts. "Our music is supposed to reflect who we are," says singer/guitarist/pianist/songwriter Bear Rinehart. "From what we've seen, people respond to you caring about something, singing passionately about whatever it is you're passionate about. If your subject matter is something that's important to you, whatever it is, that comes across to the audience." The guys typically write about things that they have lived, through giving insight that can only be gained with life experience. "There are moments in music-maybe it's a whole song, sometimes it's just a portion-that when you hear it, it just breaks you down," Rinehart says. "We really wanted to get those kinds of moments on this record. We wanted this record to hit people in a really strong way."
This is a must hear. If you like their previous songs like "Lay 'Em Down," "Washed by the Water," and "Signature of Divine (Yahweh)," you will love The Outsiders.
This album is available now on iTunes, at needtobreathe.net, or in your local Christian bookstores.
Justin Wade
Music Director
J103 Radio