Tony Cummings gives the lowdown on Atlantic Records rockers NEEDTOBREATHE

Needtobreathe

Proof that Christian artists of every style and hue are impacting the mainstream like never before is the large number of bands and soloists currently signed to record companies outside of the CCM subculture. Needtobreathe from the wonderfully named Possum Kingdom, South Carolina are with mainstream label Lava/Atlantic Records. Not that Needtobreathe, who artfully blend elements of Brit pop rock (Keane, Oasis) with the gutsy cadences of Southern rock, are one of those Christian bands who bleat tiresomely about not wanting to be associated with the Christian retail market. In fact, the band are keen to embrace the Christian audience every bit as enthusiastically as the mainstream mass market.

Their lead singer Bear Rinehart spoke to Christianity Today about how the band can pursue dual audiences. "The situation came about because our mainstream label and the Christian label we used to be on (Sparrow) are owned by different companies, and therefore have different distribution. It made it difficult for fans in some cities to find our CDs in stores, and that became frustrating. So having the same distribution made sense and that's where working with Word comes in. The same parent company oversees both Lava/Atlantic and Word, and it simplifies things. We feel like we fit in both worlds and much of that has to do with touring. We've toured the secular market more in the last two years, but we've also joined Jars Of Clay on tour. We feel at home in both markets, but the Christian market has familiar surroundings to us because it's our roots."

Bear feels that playing both markets has helped the band stay very fluid. "We've learned to perform in some really strange places on the secular side. We did an outdoor [promotional performance] at a Wal-Mart that was rained out, so we ended up playing in the men's clothing section. There have been acoustic shows with audiences comprised of almost entirely middle-aged women, [rather than teens and young adults]. And there have been shows played in conference rooms for two or three people. So we've learned to become comfortable with performing for a variety of audiences under any circumstances."

Raised in Possum Kingdom, brothers Bear and Bo Rinehart, the sons of an Assemblies Of God pastor, developed an early enthusiasm for music, learning piano from their mother, then moving on to guitar in their teens. As they grew older, the brothers walked different paths - Bear pursued college football (his very name comes from legendary Alabama football coach Paul Bear Bryant) earning several all-time Furman University records and winning the 2002 Banks McFadden trophy, while Bo studied architecture at Clemson (though he too excelled on the gridiron, appearing in a supporting role in the 2003 football drama, Radio).

Despite their sporting successes, the Rineharts still dreamt of making music. After graduation, Bear and Bo returned home to Seneca, South Carolina and, with drummer Joe Stillwell and bassist Seth Bolt, formed Needtobreathe. The band's expressive songwriting and aggressive regional touring saw an ardent fan following - known as "the Breathers" - rise up around the band in ever-increasing numbers.

In 2005 the band were discovered by mainstream giant Atlantic Records. Intriguingly, the label flew the band to the UK to record with renowned British producer Andy Green (Keane, KT Tunstall). The band's album debut 'Daylight' was a delight. Cross Rhythms reviewer Dave Griffiths enthused, "Imagine a voice similar to John Mayer backed by Switchfoot-esque in-your-face guitars. Then think of big choruses in a similar vein to Oasis, you're almost there. There is a spiritual element to the songwriting in a similar way U2 or Athlete incorporate their Christian worldview, creating themes of compassion, forgiveness and romance. The most obviously faith influenced tracks are the majestic "You Are Here" and the stadium rocking "More Than". There are bursts of genius in the melody lines in most tracks."

In the autumn of 2006 the band began work on 'The Heat', initiating pre-production at Old Plantation, the studio that band member Seth Bolt - who has a degree in record engineering - opened when he was just 16. Over the next six months, Needtobreathe divided their time between Seneca and Atlanta, recording at both Rick Beato's Black Dog Studio and Tree Sounds (the studio owned by Ed Roland, the frontman of US hitmakers Collective Soul). Having recorded their debut in England, Needtobreathe found that working nearer to home allowed them to be more at ease, with their lighter spirit having its effect on the album's overall tone. Commented Rinehart, "It's nice to stay connected to home while you're making a record. It makes the process a little less insane, and I think that comes across in the music." Working alongside two producers enabled the band to refine and spotlight the diverse aspects of their musical vision. Known for his work with Atlantic's own Shinedown, Beato was enlisted primarily due to his production work with cult South Carolina combo, Jump Little Children.

In addition to the partnership with Beato and Roland, the sessions also saw the band taking the reins by producing a number of tracks on their own. For all involved, the process of recording 'The Heat' was a remarkably relaxed and collaborative effort. "There was this vibe that we were all working on this record and nobody had any real ego things, which is very rare," Rinehart said. "It was a completely fluid relationship, which I think made the record a lot better." Though Bear's increasing interest in piano added what he calls "a different texture" to Needtobreathe's already melodic approach, both Rinehart brothers felt the effects of the road on their songwriting. Playing to diverse audiences outside of their comfort zone gave them the courage to not be afraid to explore their own musical heritage. "We felt like we could be more ourselves," Rinehart explained. "When we were in places like San Francisco and played a song with a southern vibe, people still got it. It gave us a confidence that those things have a universal appeal. So making the record, if we wanted to use harmonica or slide guitar, things that are more southern, we went for it."

The use of such instruments as an antique 1800s pump organ (on the band-produced closer, "Second Chances") are striking but completely right, adding history and depth to the album's rich texture. Songs such as "We Could Run Away" and "More Time" sound heartfelt and alive, given strength and identity from a musical approach that Rinehart described as adding "a little grit to things."

Rinehart spoke about a couple of the album's outstanding songs, "More Time" and "Second Chances". "'More Time' is about the patience it takes to be in the music industry, both for us and for our families. We've been gone constantly since we started the band six years ago. You keep telling yourself that everything will work out in just a couple more months. . .and then those months turn into years. As much as this song speaks to that frustration, it's also a song about devotion. This is really about knowing you're doing what you're supposed to be doing and having the patience to see it through to the end. We wrote 'Second Chances' about the opportunity to make a second record, but it also speaks to a theme of trying to experience things fully. There are a lot of experiences that go along with making a record and touring it. On the first record, we were too concerned with what other people thought to fully enjoy those experiences. So the song is about optimism and a second chance to get it right."

Working with a mainstream company with all the bigtime media connections sometimes produces tensions and invokes some unexpected criticisms from the Christian community. Remembered Rinehart, "We take our share of flack, like when one of our songs appeared in a promo for Desperate Housewives. Unfortunately, we don't have much control over those uses, other than the general rules about how our music can or can't be used (no beer commercials, no sex scenes, nothing graphic, etc). But at the same time, people watching those TV shows are the ones we ought to be reaching out to anyway. So we try not to let negativity sway us. Overall, there's never a question about who we are or what our mission is in life. When people meet us, they figure it out. People often tell us, 'My Christian station can't reach the secular crowd [with the music they're playing], but you can reach those people through the clubs you play.' We appreciate that kind of support and recognition."

One song on 'The Heat', "Signature Of Divine", is the band's most explicit Christian song so far. Commented Bear, "That was originally written as a worship song we did at our church. We went into the album thinking that we needed to write a worship song, but then realised we had this great song already. I rewrote the verses based on an interview I heard with Donald Miller, talking about how so much great art has been inspired by God, but that we are God's greatest masterpiece."

Rinehart has mixed feelings about some of the messages being presented from the more myopic areas of the CCM world. "Sometimes it seems that Christian music is always trying to be hopeful and happy, but people don't always feel hopeful. That's something we like about the "mainstream side" of our music. Obviously we have that hopeful silver lining because of Christ, but we're also trying to be as real as we can to the people around us. The secular side [of the music industry] doesn't impose an expectation of 10 hopeful songs from us because of our beliefs."