NEEDTOBREATHE

NEEDTOBREATE, a band out of rural South Carolina, was first started by brothers Bear and Bryant “Bo” Rinehart, the sons of a United Assembly pastor. When they began making music with friends Joe Stillwell and Seth Bolt, they bring their past into their music. Within their rock music, there are hints to their Southern upbringing and Christian background. This creates a sound that is somewhere between folk and rock.

The band’s background influences their subject matter in many ways as well. Because of their involvement in the church, the themes present in that music come through in their lyrics. One example of this is their image of the grace that we need to restore relationships and make up for our sins. They sing in “A Place Only You Can Go”,

Pain is alive in a broken heart
The past never does go away
We were born to love
And we're born to pay
The price for our mistakes
Grace, she comes with a heavy load
Memories, they can't be erased
Like a pill I swallow, he makes me well
But leaves an awful taste

Grace is not easy to accept and we are unable to erase what we have done, but it is a step towards healing that we are offered even if we do not deserve it. Struggle with sin is also a common theme in their music that reflects their history. Their lyrics describe how sin is a constant presence in our lives and how it makes us our own worst enemies. They also acknowledge that we cannot get out of the traps we make by ourselves. This is especially present in the song “White Fences”. They sing,

You leave me in the dark
Recounting all my sins
You put words in my mouth
But who is gonna mend
These white fences

They recognize that sin drives us apart and that we are unable to repair the brokenness by ourselves. Both of these songs, as well as many others, show how their history has remained connected to and shaped their music.

~ Avery Johnson

Presentations at Calvin University

SAO Concert - Needtobreathe
Wednesday, October 23, 2013 08:00:00 PM
Covenant Fine Arts Auditorium (100)