The Long Surrender

Development

The album was produced by Cobb at his own studio in Savannah, Georgia. The album's twelve songs were written by Rhinehart during a "deeply personal, therapeutic writing season". Rhinehart explained the writing process behind the album's creation, saying,

This record's different from any other because we didn't set out to actually make one. I think the album actually found us at a time we really needed it. The whole process of the record was surrendering — surrendering to the process and to all sorts of things going on in our lives... It felt like the record was a gift that wasn't ours to control. I wasn't even thinking about writing a record — I was just trying to get my head around what I wanted my life to look like going forward. This album clarified that I have to put my convictions in front of anything else. In many ways, it feels like our very first record.

Composition

The album contains string elements. Alli Patton of Holler observed the use of "nimble plucks, a distant beat and resonant keys," which she described as "all-powerful in its simplicity," also containing "gorgeous harmonies and striking lead vocals." Music Corporation of America described it as having "harmonies, keys, slide guitar, and subtle percussion," causing it to be "stripped-down but elegant prayerful." Billboard observed that the album contains "soulful, gospel music-tinged harmonies", demonstrating themes of "forgiveness, grace and gratefulness".

Critical

The Long Surrender received generally positive reception from critical audiences. Scoring the album 3.5/5, Tincan Caldwell of Jesus Freak Hideout also found that the album "never really takes off tempo-wise" and remains "low-key" and "folky" throughout. Caldwell was critical of this factor and wrote that the album "feels only half-baked". In a second review for Jesus Freak Hideout, Noah Schmidt claimed The Long Surrender to be, in comparison with previous albums, "unarguably the group's most mellow one to date". He was also critical of the "complete lack of upbeat tunes". He appreciated the album's "lyrical depth", but failed to find the production "interesting".

Commercial

Within its first charting frame, The Long Surrender debuted on the Billboard Top Album Sales chart at number 23. Additionally, it appeared at number 22 on the Top Americana/Folk Albums chart and number 6 on the Top Christian Albums chart. The album contained two charted tracks: "Say It Now", which entered the Hot Christian Songs chart at number 43 upon the release of the album, and "The Long Surrender", which reached number 40 on the Christian Airplay chart later that year.

Needtobreathe

• Bear Rinehart – lead vocals (all tracks), guitar (1, 2, 5–11), production (2, 6, 11, 12), harmonica (11), piano (12)
• Josh Lovelace – background vocals (1, 2, 4–9, 11, 12), piano (1, 3, 4, 6–9, 11), organ (1, 3, 4, 6–8, 12), keyboards (2, 5, 10), production (2, 6, 11, 12), synthesizer (3, 8, 9), vocals (3), mandolin (5), celesta (6), harmonica (9, 10), acoustic guitar (12)
• Randall Harris – drums (1–4, 7–9, 12), percussion (2–5, 8, 10–12), production (2, 6, 11, 12)
• Tyler Burkum – guitar (1–5, 7–11); background vocals, bass guitar (1–5, 7–9, 11, 12); production (2, 6, 11, 12), lap steel guitar (4); acoustic guitar, electric guitar (6); slide guitar (12)

Additional contributors

• Dave Cobb – production (1, 3–11), percussion (1, 7, 9), mixing (1, 10, 12), guitar (1), acoustic guitar (10)
• Tom Tapley – engineering (1, 3–11)
• Phillip Smith – engineering (2, 12)
• Berto Sewald – additional engineering (5, 6, 8)
• Ethan Barrette – engineering assistance (1, 3–11)
• Jack Emblem – mixing (2–9, 11)
• Pete Lyman – mastering (5, 10)
• Daniel Bacigalupi – mastering (5)
• Bre Kennedy – background vocals (4)
• Maureen Murphy – background vocals (4)
• Jon Truman – drums (6)
• Gideon Boley – lap steel guitar (6)
• Drew Nix – slide guitar (10)
• Brandon Coleman – vocals (10)