Needtobreathe Albums (3)
What The Critics Say
Needtobreathe offer up another collection of sweeping, reverent anthems with The Outsiders, the band's first effort since The Heat earned praise from the Christian community two years prior. This is the musicians' first album as genuine stars, and the music is appropriately huge, with echoing vocals and ringing guitars that take their cues from arena rock. Such epic material has become standard in the CCM world, where the influence of U2 and Coldplay is never more than a guitar riff away. The Outsiders also flirts with elements of roots rock, however, from the banjo-fueled twang of "Won't Turn Back" to the title track's Southern stomp. Appropriately, this album covers a wider range than similar releases, and a cameo appearance by Nickel Creek's Sara Watkins helps solidify the band's presence in the upper echelon of CCM. ~ Andrew Leahey, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Let's just say the boys from South Carolina didn't exactly scrap their plans to conquer the world after their critically acclaimed 2006 debut. The band's sweeping, arena-friendly alternative rock returns on this ambitious follow-up record. In the short year since Daylight's release, the band could be heard on television (The Evidence, MTV's Laguna Beach), movies (Employee of the Month), and at major sporting events (the 2006 World Series). They also toured with Train and Collective Soul, the latter of whose frontman Ed Roland shares producing credits on the album with Rick Beato (Shinedown). Whether deliberately or not, there seems to be a distinct likeness to both of their tourmates' sounds. Needtobreathe combines Train's mastery of mid-tempo adult alternative with Collective Soul's pulsing, straightforward rock. The group dwells less in the Coldplay/Travis corner of the sonic universe this time, sounding more like After Edmund and early-career Oasis. There is no runaway single like "Shine On," although first single "Signature of Divine (Yahweh)" has its share of rich, sweeping gusto. Now that the cat's out of the bag (i.e. their sound no longer commands an aura of mystery and intrigue), the boys seem to have lost just a touch of their pioneering spirit. But that cannot distract from the album's strong, approachable rock that plays best when cranked to a "10." ~ Jared Johnson, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Needtobreathe rose up through the Christian rock world, but the very presence of producer Andy Green, best-known for his work with British rockers Keane, is a good indication that their major-label debut Daylight is not intended as a CCM record. And apart from a few stabs at vague spirituality within the lyrics, Daylight doesn't play like a CCM record: it's a big, bright, shiny modern rock record, heavily influenced by U2 and designed for big, open spaces, or at least to be played somewhere between Coldplay and Train on modern rock radio. But where Coldplay doesn't hesitate to delve into the sonic murk U2 developed with Brian Eno and Daniel Lanois (they may turn into something blandly warm, yet they do draw from it), Needtobreathe is happy to rely on the elements of U2 that capture the band at their most populist, not to mention anthemic, then they take that arena-ready sound and streamline it with their guy-next-door persona and straight-ahead songwriting. Above anything, Daylight is a friendly, welcoming album; in other hands, the echoing, delayed guitars, retro-'80s synths, cavernous drums, and large soundstages might sound ominous or chilly, but Needtobreathe doesn't have anything foreboding about them at all. Such niceness could run the risk of being dreadfully dull, but Needtobreathe has an appealing combination of sincerity and skill that Green polishes into a record that is slick yet ingratiating, earnest yet endearing. True, the brother-led quartet doesn't stretch boundaries -- they're proudly not dangerous -- but they're not only more genuine than Creed, the last prominent Christian-rooted modern rock band, but they're more tuneful and varied, as well, and that's enough to make Daylight a solid debut. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide
