THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Wilder Woods is the moniker of singer, songwriter and guitarist Bear Rinehart of Grammy-nominated and platinum-selling group Needtobreathe. His new solo album Curioso unapologetically explores all the curious corners of Rinehart’s sound, powered by his genre-bending approach to anthemic American music.
Years before he learned to transfix a crowd — first as a trophy-winning college athlete, then as a powerhouse frontman — 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. 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’s rhythms, OutKast‘s hip-hop samples, Arcade Fire’s sweeping indie-rock, and even 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 this release, 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.”
