Wilder Woods, the moniker of singer/songwriter/guitarist Bear Rinehart of GRAMMY-nominated and platinum-selling group NEEDTOBREATHE, has announced the forthcoming release of his new album Curioso.
Due out in early 2025 through Dualtone Records, Curioso unapologetically explores all the curious corners of Rinehart’s sound, powered by his genre-bending approach to anthemic American music. Rinehart also shared today the first peek at the album with a pair of new singles: the stomping, four-on-the-floor rock & roller “Hide Anymore” and the rootsy barn-burner “Devil In My Eyes.”
Listen To “Hide Anymore” and “Devil In My Eyes” HERE
Happy to have the first couple of songs from Curioso out in the world,” stated Rinehart. “Both of these songs are really about the tension I think we all feel between the way we wish the world was and the way it actually is. Maybe it’s naïve to think that music can actually help with that, but it does for me. Love y’all.”
Years before he learned to transfix a crowd – first as a trophy-winning college athlete, then as the powerhouse frontman behind NEEDTOBREATHE – Rinehart spent hours at his grandmother’s house, captivated by her curio cabinet. “It was a china cabinet where she’d store her keepsakes, like her first Bible, some porcelain dolls, and football memorabilia,” he remembers. “As a kid, I always thought it was a strange thing to keep around…but now, I think a curio cabinet can tell you a lot about a person. I love the idea of collecting the pieces of your past, creating a little assortment of things that you really enjoy.”
That same spirit fuels Curioso, his third solo release as Wilder Woods, where Rinehart chases the muse into uncharted territory. It’s a wide mix of texture, tone, and razor-sharp songwriting, held together not by some lyrical thread or overarching story, but simply by the enthusiasm of a longtime musician who’s still eager to stretch his legs and cover new ground. Outlets like Rolling Stone have praised Rinehart’s “raspy roar of a voice,” but he hits a new high-water mark here, delivering each song with the vocal firepower of someone who’s used to being onstage nightly, singing for the fans in the back row.
Songwriting sessions for Curioso began in 2023 on the heels of his sophomore effort FEVER/SKY, which featured the Top 15 radio hit “Maestro (Tears Don’t Lie).” This time around, Rinehart found fresh inspiration in the form of Perfume Genius’ rhythms, Outkast’s hip-hop samples, Arcade Fire’s sweeping indie-rock, and even the Breeders’ distorted guitars. He also teamed up with partners like producer Jeremy Lutito and co-writers Konrad Snyder, Trent Dabbs, Ian Fitchuk, Anderson East, and Foy Vance. Together, they took advantage of the free time between Rinehart’s tour dates to write and record Curioso’s songs in small batches, resulting in an album rooted not only in collaboration, but in serious groove.
With his third release as Wilder Woods, Rinehart hasn’t just established his own sound; he’s moved beyond it. Curioso is his own curio cabinet: a curated collection of the influences and experiences that have shaped him as a musician, placed on public display for the whole world to hear. What they showcase is a songwriter who respects his musical roots while also using them as a springboard, propelling himself to new heights, chasing down new curiosities along the way.
