Love and Theft, ‘Whiskey on My Breath’ [Listen]

In their new single, Love and Theft take a common country symbol and turn it on its head to create a lovely and heartfelt country song about their faith. 'Whiskey on My Breath' plays on all the strengths of the popular duo, highlighting their unique harmonies and adding a sweet melody complete with ... is that an accordion we hear?!

For a country act known for catchy harmonies and upbeat hooks, 'Whiskey on My Breath' is somewhat of a departure. Describing the war between the mistakes we make and a faith that forgives them, the lyrics of this first single off Love and Theft's forthcoming album are equally agonizing and hopeful.

"I woke up with a pounding head / With a bottle laying in the bed / There was a little, a little bit left / So I picked it up and I killed the rest," LNT sing over a soft melody in the first verse, before calling out their hope of redemption in the second. "I lost her and all my friends / Broke all but one of my Lord's Ten / But Jesus died for all my sins / That's how I know I'm getting in."

But while the searing lyrics of 'Whiskey on My Breath' get at the heart of the battle to reconcile faith with mistakes made, the vocal performance by Eric Gunderson and Stephen Barker Liles add a beauty that can only be described as heavenly. Their powerful harmonies take center stage, only highlighted by a soft undercurrent of the classic hymn, 'Amazing Grace,' that threads in and out of the entire track. Combine that with the surprising, but perfect addition of accordion keys, and fans have got a song that sounds different from anything else, while still managing to perform like a classic country ballad.

Why Fans Will Love It: With its layered melody and strong harmonies, 'Whiskey on My Breath' adds new layers of depth to Love and Theft's musical collection. And it's a great way to get fans ready for the mature sound that will debut on the duo's third album when it's released on Feb. 10!

Key Lyrics: "Oh I know I'm going to heaven / But I can't go with me like this / I need to pull myself together / Before then / No I ain't afraid of dying / But what scares me is meeting Jesus / With whiskey on my breath."

Did You Know? The release of 'Whiskey on My Breath' caps off a pretty great year for Love and Theft's Stephen Barker Liles. The singer married his longtime love, Jenna Michelle Kennedy, on Aug. 24.

Listen to Love and Theft, 'Whiskey on My Breath'