Hootie & The Blowfish CD

One of 2003s most eagerly anticipated musical events. This self-titled collection is the first new album in more than four years. Recorded in Venice CA with renowned producer Don Was. Atlantic.

Hootie & The Blowfish: Darius Rucker (vocals, guitar, harmonica); Mark Bryan (acoustic & electric guitars, mandolin, background vocals); Jim "Soni" Sonefeld (acoustic guitar, drums, percussion, loops); Dean Felber (bass, background vocals).
Additional personnel includes: Don Was (trumpet, Fender Rhodes piano);
Susan Cowsill, Vicki Peterson background vocals).
Recorded at Beacon Street, Venice, California and Bogart Studios, Miami, Florida.
Personnel: Hootie & the Blowfish (background vocals); Darius Rucker (vocals, harmonica); Mark Bryan (guitar, acoustic guitar, electric guitar, slide guitar, background vocals); Jim Sonefeld (acoustic guitar, drums, percussion, loops, background vocals); Don Was (saxophone, trumpet); John Nau (piano, organ); Dean Felber, Susan Cowsill, Vicki Peterson (background vocals).
Audio Mixer: Ed Cherney.
Recording information: Beacon Street, Venice, CA; Bogart Recording Studios, Miami, FL.
Photographers: Dennis Keeley; Chapman Baehler.
Unknown Contributor Role: Don Was.
It's been five years since listeners last heard from Hootie & the Blowfish (not counting 2000's odds-and-ends assortment Scattered, Smothered and Covered), and those who might have been expecting a dramatic departure from the radio-friendly guitar rock of the band's previous three regular albums will be either relieved or disappointed, depending on how they felt about it to begin with. But make no mistake: Those who accuse this band of being lightweight and terminally poppy are not only missing the point, they are also giving in to the worst kind of rock & roll snobbery -- the kind that says pop music really ought to be anything other than fun. On the other hand, those who accuse frontman Darius Rucker of sometimes delivering his lightweight, poppy songs with a bombast that is all out of proportion to their substance are actually onto something: Just consider the chesty roar with which he delivers couplets about, for example, minor domestic and emotional discomfort ("You need a little space/And I need mine"). But unlike Bono or Creed's Scott Stapp, Rucker's mistake is not in taking himself or his lyrics too seriously; it's just that that's the way he sings everything, and that big, chesty roar is a big part of what makes him fun to listen to. Mainly, of course, what make him fun to listen to are his songs' irresistible hooks, and this album has those in spades: "Deeper Side," the country-inflected "Little Darlin'" (which cries out to be covered by the Blasters), and a respectful cover version of the Continental Drifters' "Rain Song" are all perfect for singing along with in the car, while "Tears Fall Down" and the power ballad "Innocence" should have even the most jaded power pop snob digging in his jeans for a lighter. They're not trying to save the world, folks -- this is just rock & roll. And most people who say they don't like it are kidding themselves. ~ Rick Anderson
For their first album since 1998's MUSICAL CHAIRS, Hootie and the Blowfish enlisted the aid of production doctor Don Was in an effort to get back on track after a four-year layoff that found Darius Rucker and Mark Bryan releasing their own solo efforts. Sounding refreshed and recharged, this roots-rock quartet hit the ground running, mixing in the twangy country-rock of "Little Darlin'," soaring "When She's Gone" (featuring background vocals by Indigo Girl Emily Saliers), and catchy mid-tempo rocker "Space." Rucker's exploration of R&B roots on his solo outing BACK TO THEN made for a ripple effect that can be heard on songs like the pleading power ballad "I'll Come Runnin'" and soulful "Little Brother," with its hearty harmonies and Was's snappy organ contributions. The boys even manage to sneak in a sweet cover of the Continental Drifters' "T