Hard Love (album)

Background and recording

Hard Love was produced by Dave Tozer, Ed Cash, Jon Levine, Ido Zmishlany and co-produced by the band. The album was recorded at Plantation Studios in Charleston, South Carolina, Night Fox Studio and Germano Studios in New York, NY.

Promotion

In support of the album, the band is scheduled to embark on the "Tour De Compadres 2016", beginning on August 17, 2016, and concluding on November 12, 2016. The tour includes 53 stops across the United States.

Critical reception

Hard Love received mostly positive reviews from music critics. AllMusic's Neil Z. Yeung rated the album four out of five stars and calls it "cleverly crafted praise music." Chris Major of TheChristianBeat.org rated the album 4.4 out of 5 and writes, "(the album) packs both energy and encouragement into its forty minute runtime. With diverse sounds and deep thought poured into each song, NEEDTOBREATHE does not hold back has outdone itself once again. H A R D L O V E is easily worth a full listen-through from both fans and new audiences." Jesus Freak Hideout's Christopher Smith rated the album three and a half stars out of five and calls it "a solid record."

Track listing

Writing credits source: BMI.

All tracks written by Bear Rinehart and Bo Rinehart, except where noted..

Personnel

Credits for Hard Love adapted from album liner notes.

Commercial performance

Hard Love debuted at No. 1 on the Top Album Sales chart and at No. 2 on the US Billboard 200, moving 50,000 equivalent album units in its first week of release, of which 46,000 were in traditional album sales. This is the band's highest charting album to date, besting the No. 3 Billboard 200 debut of their 2014 release Rivers in the Wasteland.