Review: Wilder Woods Delves Into Southern Rock and Soul with 'Fever / Sky'

Wilder Woods is the solo project of Bear Rinehart, vocalist for Christian rockers NEEDTOBREATHE. Having never been a fan of the band, I went into listening to his new album Fever / Sky expecting very little. I was pleasantly surprised. While Rinehart's voice retains some of the sound that you hear fronting his band, he does an admirable job of separating the solo project from the primary with heavy doses of Southern rock guitar and soulful choruses.

Nowhere is that change more evident than on the album's opening track, and first single, “Maestro (Tears Don't Lie).” There's a vibe of Nathaniel Rateliff or Shinyribs on this Muscle Shoals-infused rocker. It's a song that is big everywhere. Big guitar licks. Big choruses. Big organ solos. Big throaty vocals. Even the lyrics are big, with Rinehart singing “Throw me out like the change in your pockets, baby. Move on.”

Another rocker highlighting the album is “Be the Man.” Anchored by a fat ZZ Top-esque guitar lick, Rinehart wails “I can't help it. I was was born selfish. Tired of being all that I am.” Later he notes that trying to “Be the Man” isn't all it's cracked up to be. “Got my face up on a building but I'm short on cash.”

On the slower side there's the album's second single, “Get It Back.” Over an almost military drum beat, Rinehart weaves a tale of lessons learned too late in life. “They keep saying 'Son it'll be alright', but the hands on the clock don't lie.” In the chorus, he laments that “I wish I would have known that when you give your heart to someone you might never get it back.”

I was surprised how much I enjoyed Fever / Sky. The great thing about a side project is that it allows you to stretch in ways that doesn't fit your primary band's style. Otherwise,what's the point? For Bear Rinehart, Wilder Woods is an opportunity to delve into the world of soul and he pulls it off well.