NEEDTOBREATHE – ‘HARDLOVE’ album review

buy on Amazon

For its sixth studio album, NEEDTOBREATHE switched up the sounds yet again, this time injecting bursts of electronics and swampy soul into its usual classic-southern-modern rock cross section. It may come as a bit of a surprise to some, but makes for a welcome expansion that’s feels particularly relevant to radio’s turning tides without ever losing site of the band’s artistic integrity. Perhaps some of it has to do with the guys’ road-tested tightness, or maybe even more likely, the album’s unflinching honesty as it traces everyone’s personal struggles and sacrifices to keep NEEDTOBREATHE firing on all cylinders after more than a decade together. In the process, the group not only shows its solidarity, but also provides a soundtrack of deliverance and perseverance for all, featuring a full-fledged anthem for every introspective moment.