NEEDTOBREATHE Comes To Seattle At Chop Suey 10/24

Seattle Theatre Group (STG) presents NEEDTOBREATHE with special guests Serena Ryder & The Alternate Routes on Saturday, October 24, 2009 at 9:00pm at Chop Suey.

Atlantic recording group NEEDTOBREATHE makes a powerful homecoming with their eagerly anticipated second album, "THE HEAT." Co-produced by the band alongside Rick Beato (Shinedown, Jump Little Children) and Collective Soul mastermind Ed Roland, the record sees the South Carolina- based rock outfit digging into their down-home roots to create a remarkably passionate and personal new collection. Songs such as the acoustic-tinged "Again" and the rejoiceful "Signature of Divine (Yahweh)" see the band melding warm, organic textures to their powerful brand of skyscraping, heartfelt rock. With "THE HEAT," NEEDTOBREATHE blazes a new musical trail, revealing not just the depth of its spirit, but the far reaches of its soul.

Upon signing to Atlantic, NEEDTOBREATHE headed to the UK to record their debut album, "DAYLIGHT," with British producer Andy Green (Keane, KT Tunstall). The band toured nearly non-stop following the album's 2006 release, criss-crossing America as headliners as well as supporting such artists as Train, Jars of Clay, Edwin McCain, and Collective Soul.

"I feel like we haven't been home since we first got signed," Rinehart laughs, but the constant touring proved productive in many ways, helping NEEDTOBREATHE define its sound while also inspiring a ream of new songs. In the fall of 2006, the band began work on "THE HEAT," initiating pre-production at Old Plantation, the studio that 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 Ed Roland's Tree Sounds. 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.

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.

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 describes as adding "a little grit to things."

Having grown up in church, the sounds of gospel are intrinsically woven into the Rineharts' musical DNA. As NEEDTOBREATHE reached inward, inspirational sounds began to inform their work, notably on "Washed By The Water," which recasts an old time spiritual as rousing modern rock, and the self- described "worship song," "Signature of Divine (Yahweh)." Anthemic yet down-to-earth, the track seamlessly knits touches of gospel and R&B into the band's cinemascope sound.

NEEDTOBREATHE is now ready to return to the endless highway, eager to bring "THE HEAT" to the
people. The connection between audience and artist is not only the key to the band's remarkable growth thus far, it is a bond that will allow NEEDTOBREATHE the chance to flourish and fulfill its infinite promise.

"We're interested in building a career in music," Rinehart says, "and playing live lets you develop the fan base that allows you to do that. I tell people all the time, 'Oh, to be Wilco.' That to me is a great career model. Bands that have a close, ongoing relationship with their fans are able to do more because it allows them to change and grow and make better and better music."

Tickets: $12.00 advance, $15.00 day of show, not including applicable fees. Tickets are on sale at all Ticketweb locations, charge by phone 1-866-468-7623, Chop Suey box office, or online at www.ticketweb.com. For more information, please visit www.stgpresents.org.

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