NEEDTOBREATHE wasn’t trying to make an album when they flew down to Savannah, Georgia, to capture a song with reigning CMA Vocal Group of the Year, The Red Clay Strays. They were simply jumping at the chance to collaborate with the like-minded band on the original track, “Momma Love Me,” and the opportunity to work with nine-time GRAMMY® Award-winning producer Dave Cobb (Chris Stapleton, Jason Isbell, Little Big Town). Yet, what they unearthed inside Cobb’s studio slowly morphed into their 10th full-length project, “The Long Surrender.”
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Together with Cobb, the seasoned outfit crafted an emotionally raw record marked by Cobb’s minimalist production style and frontman Bear Rinehart’s intensely perceptive lyrics. For the first time in the band’s career, which spans more than two decades, Rinehart penned 11 of the project’s dozen tracks all by himself. Discovering in-the-moment inspiration, the South Carolina native wrote many of the songs in the morning before the band convened in the studio to record them later that afternoon. Thus, “The Long Surrender” beautifully preserves the band in real time.
Following a period of personal hardship and the amicable departure of founding member and bassist Seth Bolt, “The Long Surrender” feels like a welcome exhale after a season of tumult. Rinehart’s husky growl is front and center across a bare-bones sonic landscape that pulls the listener directly into the room with the collective, whose lineup also features Josh Lovelace on keys, Randall Harris on drums and Tyler Burkum on guitar.
Although the LP releases via country label MCA, where Cobb serves as Chief Creative Officer, don’t let the country designation fool you. “The Long Surrender” is one of the most spiritually significant offerings of NEEDTOBREATHE’s discography. While the band has built their catalog on a steady dose of banjo and harmonica and has collaborated with their share of country artists in recent years, they’re not rebranding. In fact, if anything, their 10th endeavor is a homecoming. From top to bottom, “The Long Surrender” boasts selections that feel timeless and deeply meaningful.
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“This album really clarified that, as an artist, I’ve got to put my convictions in front of anything else. I poured myself into it without trying to shape it for anyone or anything, and that’s what we’re going to keep doing from here on out,” Rinehart says. “It’s definitely a better indicator of where we’re headed than where we’ve ever been, and in a lot of ways, it feels like it’s our very first record.”
The gentle acoustic strumming of the title cut quietly opens the project, immediately indicating “The Long Surrender” is going to be far more dialed back than the wide open rock that colored 2023’s “Caves.” When the band’s underrated harmonies kick in on the chorus, listeners will swiftly recognize the earnestness that defines their next chapter.
Three songs in, hazy Celtic prayer “Highlands” reveals NEEDTOBREATHE at its finest with a mesmerizing swirl of balladry and belief as the first verse unravels like poetry. “Oh, she calls to me in red letters like some taillights in the fog, in the memories of magnolias, in the frailty of fall,” Rinehart sings. “It’s a work of light and contrast in the shadows where I roam, trying to find my place to lay my head that’ll never be my home.”
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A similar theme of belonging and direction emerges on the warm “Where You Call Home,” which keenly observes that true north is less of a place and more of a feeling. Meanwhile, the soulful “Sing To Me Savannah” reads like a love letter to the city that became an unexpected muse and overflows with so much nostalgia, it already sounds like a classic despite being recently written. Later, Rinehart wrestles anxiety to the ground on articulately crafted mid-tempo introspection “The Door,” acknowledging only supernatural strength can keep the wolves at bay.
On lead single “Momma Loves Me,” he shares vocals with The Red Clay Strays’ Brandon Coleman while both men grapple with their self-worth in the face of their mistakes. Next, deep cut “Take The Blame” examines life’s unjust plot twists with a refreshing shower of redemption and an untamed vocal delivery from Rinehart.
Although the majority of “The Long Surrender” is anchored in lyrically rich, acoustically grounded ballads, NEEDTOBREATHE does serve up a small portion of signature rock. Yet, even the guitar-heavy tracks still hold an intentional weight. Regarding the rare upbeat offerings, “Say It Now” and “Take Me Dancing” are two of the best.
On “Say It Now,” the band assumes a humble posture, begging for clarity, while battling their innate pride. Upon a cursory listen, “Take Me Dancing” might appear to be a carefree moment of bliss à la fan favorite “Girl Named Tennessee,” but a second take reveals a more spiritually mature portrait of a man attempting to rekindle his childlike faith after realizing he can no longer carry the burden of his shame alone — a through line that’s been present in Rinehart’s writing in recent years, no doubt influenced by his own young sons.
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Even though Rinehart’s lyrics and vocals unequivocally shine across the collection’s dozen selections, his bandmates are in lockstep with him at every turn. In fact, their consistent harmonies and thoughtful musicianship only serve to elevate each track. Collectively, all four men acknowledge there’s so much in life they can’t control, and on “The Long Surrender,” they attempt to find a place of peace and healing, repeatedly submitting to a God who’s bigger than it all.
“The Long Surrender” opens a window into the soul of a band of war-weary soldiers who have weathered the storm and come out on the other side stronger, more resilient and more soft-hearted than ever before. If this album set the compass for NEEDTOBREATHE’s future, we’ll happily follow their lead.
The intimate studio versions are stunning, but they’ll sound even better in the deft hands of a band known for their live show. In support of the project, NEEDTOBREATHE is set to launch the first leg of “The Long Surrender Tour” with special guests Drew and Ellie Holcomb in Maryland Heights, Missouri, Aug. 12, 2026.
