Hard Love (album)

Last updated
Hard Love
Hardlovealbum.jpg
Studio album by
ReleasedJuly 15, 2016
Studio
  • Plantation Studios, Charleston, South Carolina [1]
  • Night Fox Studio, New York City
  • Germano Studios, New York City
Genre
Length40:14
Label Atlantic
Producer
Needtobreathe chronology
Live from the Woods at Fontanel
(2015)
Hard Love
(2016)
Forever on Your Side (Niles City Sound Sessions) [EP]
(2018)

Hard Love (styled H A R D L O V E) is the sixth studio album by American rock and alternative band Needtobreathe, released on July 15, 2016, through Atlantic Records. [2]

Contents

Hard Love garnered three singles including "Happiness", "Testify", and "Great Night".[ citation needed ]

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. [1]

Promotion

In support of the album, the band went on a "Tour De Compadres 2016" that began on August 17, 2016, and concluded on November 12, 2016. The tour included 53 stops across the United States. [2]

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [3]
Jesus Freak HideoutStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svgStar empty.svg [4]
Music-News.comStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [5]
The Musical Melting Pot92% [6]
Substream Magazine Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svg [7]
TheChristianBeat.org4.4/5 [8]

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." [8] Jesus Freak Hideout's Christopher Smith rated the album three and a half stars out of five and calls it "a solid record." [4]

Awards and accolades

On August 9, 2017, it was announced that H A R D L O V E would be nominated for a GMA Dove Award in the Rock/Contemporary Album of the Year category at the 48th Annual GMA Dove Awards. [9]

On October 17, 2017, H A R D L O V E won the GMA Dove Award for Rock/Contemporary Album of the Year with Kari Jobe alongside art producers Jon Levine, Dave Tozer, Ed Cash and Ido Zmishalny being the receipts at a ceremony at Allen Arena in Nashville, Tennessee. [10]

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. [11] 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 . [12]

Track listing

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

Standard edition [13] [14]
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."Mountain, Pt. 1" Needtobreathe0:56
2."Hard Love"  Jon Levine, Needtobreathe3:34
3."Money & Fame"Rinehart, Rinehart, Dave Tozer Tozer, Needtobreathe3:12
4."No Excuses" Tozer, Needtobreathe2:45
5."When I Sing"Rinehart, Rinehart, Ed Cash, Ido Zmishlany Cash, Levine, Needtobreathe2:42
6."Happiness"Rinehart, Rinehart, Whitney Phillips, ZmishlanyZmishlany3:25
7."Great Night" (featuring Shovels & Rope)Rinehart, Rinehart, TozerTozer, Needtobreathe2:55
8."Be Here Long" Needtobreathe3:35
9."Don't Bring That Trouble" Needtobreathe2:56
10."Let's Stay Home Tonight"Rinehart, Rinehart, Luke Laird Tozer, Needtobreathe3:20
11."Testify" Cash, Needtobreathe4:03
12."Clear" Cash, Needtobreathe6:51
Total length:40:14
Cracker Barrel bonus tracks [15]
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
13."When I Sing" (Mountain House version)Rinehart, Rinehart, Cash, Zmishlany2:42
14."Let's Stay Home Tonight" (original demo)Rinehart, Rinehart, Laird3:32

Personnel

Credits for Hard Love adapted from album liner notes.

Needtobreathe

Additional musicians

Technical

Design and Additional Credits

Charts

Release history

RegionDateFormat(s)Label
United StatesJuly 15, 2016 Atlantic

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