Monday, September 22, 2014

Week 35

The Heat by Needtobreathe


So this is another that's been a favorite for quite a while. I was turned onto Needtobreathe's hybrid alt/Christian/rock sound about eight years ago and I've been pretty satisfied with just about everything they've done since. 

The Heat is the group's second full-length album and if I think that you'd be hard-pressed to find another that would best it. 

This is one of the few albums in my collection that I can listen to top to bottom and enjoy every song. 

My favorites include the mysterious "We Could Run Away," the Christocentric "Streets of Gold," the inspirational "Looks Like Love," and the Southern-gospel infused "Washed by the Water." For those of you who are familiar with the group's catalog, The Heat to me is a turning point. Instead of the mysterious pseudo-Christian influences from their first record Daylight, here the Rinehart brothers, Bear and Bo seem to be more willing to share of themselves with regards to songwriting. It shows a nice maturing of the group in both material and sound. 

While every song retains the NtB house sound (pop-friendly southern-inspired alt rock), I don't get tired of it. Fans of adult alternative groups like Sister Hazel or Kings of Leon will certainly find favor with this album. 

"Washed by the Water" has gotten the most proverbial spins from me, so I'll share it with you. Be sure to check out the group's other albums as well!


No comments:

Post a Comment