INTERVIEW: NEEDTOBREATHE Talk New Album 'H A R D L O V E' | Music You Should Know

Grammy-nominated Christian rock band NEEDTOBREATHE have been writing and recording music together for 18 years. Now, in 2016, the guys have built upon the success of their collaboration with Gavin DeGraw, "Brother" -- which reached No. 1 on the US Christian Songs Chart -- and have released their sixth studio album titled H A R D L O V E (on July 15th) via Atlantic Records. The band's new album features twelve new songs that add up to over 40 minutes of music, and include singles like "HAPPINESS," "MONEY & FAME," and "NO EXCUSES."

We recently caught up with NEEDTOBREATHE's Seth Bolt where he told us everything fans need to know about H A R D L O V E during an exclusive interview.

[Buy H A R D L O V E on iTunes]

In case you're not familiar with the band from South Carolina consists of members Bear Rinehart, Bo Rinehart, Seth Bolt, and Josh Lovelace. In 2015, NEEDTOBREATHE released their collaboration, "Brother," with Gavin DeGraw. Building off the momentum and success of the song, the band felt inspired and went to Plantation Studios in Charleston, South Carolina to start writing and recording their new album H A R D L O V E. Seth calls "Brother" the most successful song NEEDTOBREATHE has ever had, and wanted to continue to explore a sound that was unlike anything they had done previously.

On the writing/recording of 'H A R D L O V E'

"We grew up in the mountains of South Carolina together, around Bluegrass, and those acoustic instruments have always been a part of who we are. We decided this time around that there would be something really intriguing about using synthesizers because it's something we just haven't really done before. It was a lot of fun. We felt like kids exploring a whole new space. So, the songs at their core are still NEEDTOBREATHE songs and Bear still sings 'em as hard as he possibly can, but, the sound's completely different. This is the biggest sounding record we've ever made."

Taking a new direction in their new album also had to do with what they were going to name the album. The record includes the title track "HARD LOVE," and Seth says that it best represents where the band is currently. The song is described has a piece of encouragement to keep going, even when things seem difficult.

On the meaning behind the album's title 'H A R D L O V E'

"We named the album H A R D L O V E because we feel like it sort of best describes where the band is right now. The song 'HARD LOVE' is really the anthem that we've always wanted to write for ourselves, sort of like an encouragement song to ourselves to keep moving and keep trying. Keep fighting even after different things happen and you get knocked down. I think anyone with a dream, anyone that's pursuing something with passion, whether it's a career, or some sort of life experience, they know what it's like to run down that long road. It does require a lot of love and dedication, and a toughness, and that's 'HARD LOVE.'"

The band had previously released H A R D L O V E's first single "HAPPINESS," which Seth tells us was written for NEEDTOBREATHE's families and everyone close to them who have supported their hard work, late nights, and time on tour -- which sometimes means less family time for the band.

On the meaning behind their single "HAPPINESS"

"'HAPPINESS' is a song we wrote to our families and supporters for really sticking with us through all the really late nights we work, and the times that we have to leave our families to go on tour. That's a tough thing for them and us. We wouldn't be doing it if we didn't love what we're doing so much, and feel a true sense of purpose for waking up each morning, and making music, and traveling the world. Really the thing that makes us the most happy is that we have a sense of purpose with this music, and it's been amazing to see how some songs took some kids from a country town in the middle of nowhere, to playing arenas and stuff. It's not really the size of the success that makes the happiness, just that we feel like we are doing what we're supposed to be doing."

The album also includes songs "MONEY & FAME" and "CLEAR," which are two of Seth's favorite songs from H A R D L O V E. He loves the 70s Motown Rock sound on "MONEY & FAME," but "CLEAR" is extremely special to him. "CLEAR" was not just any old love song -- it's the song that newly-married Seth and his wife first danced to at their wedding.

On the meaning behind "CLEAR"

"'CLEAR' is an absolutely beautiful love song, a very unique one. I just got married a month ago, so it was really personal for me. It was really cool to get to surprise my wife and have it be the song we dance to as our first dance at our wedding. It's a long song just about the depth and the beauty love can have. I was working on this with the guys literally two weeks before I got married. So never have I had the opportunity to craft a song that I knew was going to be played at my wedding."

Taking a step in a new direction when it comes to creating new music also comes with the chance that your fans might not be very accepting -- but not for NEEDTOBREATHE. Their fans have really embraced their new music, the risk they took with their new album, and the band couldn't be any more thankful.

On what their fans mean to them

"We allowed ourselves to take some big chances on this record. And from the reaction we've gotten so far, it's really paid off, and our amazing fans have rallied around this new direction for the band. I'm really proud of our fans more than anything. Just the other night I got to thinking about everything really ... my whole life. And, I just started crying thinking about how special the fans are to us, and absolutely we couldn't do what we do without them. It's been an amazing journey. The people who support us in the very beginning before we even had a record deal are still there. They're still rooting us on. Some are like family now. Some were at my wedding too. It's really cool to have great fans that you actually want to hang out with."

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