Artist: Need to Breathe
Album: Daylight
Label: Atlantic
Tracks: 11
Length: 39:45

 

It’s not every day you get to review a band led by brothers named Bo and Bear. I know it’s only a name but you have to admit that Bear is not your average band members name outside of the heavy metal world. Fortunately Need to Breathe are not metal, falling somewhere between radio friendly rock and brighter alternative rock.

 

Lyrically this band is tremendously impressive- they really have some nice insights and that is a good deal of what keeps me coming back to Daylight. This is the kind of album that regular people can make connections with. The band manages to stay positive as well and their bright sound coupled with their positive message is just too good to be ignored lyrically.

 

Musically is where this album struggles. The band are obviously experienced musicians and very good at what they do but they struggle from what I like to call the “Keane Syndrome” (they DID tap Keane’s producer for Daylight. Hmmm…). This band has great songs, great lyrics, and a completely stale sound. There are very few things about this album that do anything at all to get your attention. Daylight is fairly content being enjoyable background music.

 

“Don’t Leave Just Yet” is one of the most enjoyable moments. It’s a pretty dynamic song and that manages to hold you throughout. It changes up just enough to keep you right there with them. “Over Now” is another of the album’s best moments. This song could in fact be a Keane song but for some reason it really sticks with you long after it finishes and I won’t deny the fact that it’s the songs I almost immediately go to when I pop the album in.

 

If you are looking for radio friendly pop rock then you will love Need to Breathe. In a music world with fish as big as U2, Coldplay, and even Collective Soul, Need to Breathe gets too easily lost. Like I said, the band has some amazing lyrics but the music is just too bland to put them over.