Hootie & The Blowfish Album: “Hootie & The Blowfish”

Hootie & The Blowfish have been on a roller coaster ride their entire career. From playing at frat parties and dive bars in South Carolina, to having their debut album, "Cracked Rear View," sell over 16 million copies just in the United States, to being ridiculed for making music that was too "middle of the road." This album is perhaps the best collection of songs that nobody has heard. From the catchy pop rock opener "Deeper Side," to the raw sounding rock anthem "Go And Tell Him (Soup Song)," this album is sold from top to bottom. The only real disappointing song on the album would have to be the goofy, country flavored "Little Darlin'." Standouts on this album are the rock ballad "Innocence," the R&B groove "Little Brother," and the lyrical masterpiece "Tears Fall Down," Darius Rucker's voice never sounded so good. There are a couple average songs, "Show Me Your Heart" in particular, but they are spread out enough that you don't notice. Is this album groundbreaking? No. But if you're looking for a CD that you can play in your stereo over and over and over again, this is a MUST have. Just like every Hootie & The Blowfish album before, this album is the kind of music Hootie & The Blowfish want to make. Music that is....UNCOMPROMISED!!!!

I hadn't been into Hootie in awhile, but recently went to see them live. Let me just say, they were incredible. At the time, I didn't have the new CD , but after hearing them do several songs from it live, I made sure I got it soon after. It's rare that when you hear new songs that you are unfamiliar with by any band live in concert, that they grab ahold of you, but this was an exception. After they performed each new song from their new CD, I was thinking, "Wow, that was a killer song!!". Anyway, I went and got the CD, and was blown away. The songwriting is amazing. What a great album. It is easily their best since their debut. If you were into Hootie, even in the least little bit at all, in your life, you will LOVE this CD.

For the 15 million individuals (you know who you are) that abandoned Hootie and the Blowfish after the mammoth sales of 1994's Cracked Rear View, this record marks a return to the sound that made the band a household name in 1995 and a national punchline only a year later. After 1996's Fairweather Johnson went for a slightly darker, less-polished sound and 1998's Musical Chairs covered every genre, Hootie and the Blowfish is a good old fashioned rock n roll record, and probably the best you'll hear this year. From the up-tempo opener "Deeper Side" to the get-out-of-your-seat rocking of "Go and Tell Him (Soup Song)," this record bursts out of the speakers. On the song "Space," Hootie reach a new musical peak, crafting one of the finest songs ever to be recorded (if you think I am over-exaggerating, just give it a listen.) Even the ballads are great, especially the solemn "Tears Fall Down," but they are overshadowed by Hootie's fantastic rock songs. "I'll Come Runnin'" and "The Rain Song" are destined to be stuck in your head for weeks, as well as the power-ballad first single, "Innocence." So, for anyone who jumped on the bandwagon 8 years ago, I would encourage you to jump back on. I've never heard a bandwagon that sounds this good.

A lot of people bailed out on Hootie & the Blowfish after their huge success with the debut album Cracked Rear View. Well, those bandwagon jumpers need to hop back on!! This album is full of incredible and unique music. Upbeat rockers like Deeper Side are just perfect to blare out of your car with the windows down. Innocence takes the power ballad to another level, I guarantee it'll send you fishing in your pocket for a lighter. I'll Come Runnin and When She's Gone slow things down too, but everyone will still be singing along! And when Hootie rocks on with Space and Go And Tell Him (the Soup Song), you'll forget why you ever left this band in the first place. And if you (like me) are someone who's stuck with Hootie through it all, this album is all the reward you need.

I have been a H&TB fan ever since cracked rear view. I can admit that there have been some sub-par albums put out. I was very excited the day in 2003 when the self titled CD came out, but I was quite dissapointed when I finally got the chance to listen to it. Musical Chairs had some good hits, but I couldnt listen to it cover-to-cover.

Last week when this CD came out I was hoping for the best and this time I think I got what I wanted. This album is definately more along the lines of Cracked Rear View and Fairweather Johnson.

There are only a few tracks I skip--Free to Everyone and Waltz Into Me. The rest is classic H&TB in my opinion. Hope everyone else enjoys it as much as I do!