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Hootie and the Blowfish - Cracked Rear View 1994



Review:
Hootie & the Blowfish's debut album, Cracked Rear View, was the success story of 1994/1995, selling over 12 million copies. It's a startling, large number, especially for a new band, but in some ways, the success of the record isn't that surprising. Although Hootie & the Blowfish aren't innovative, they deliver the goods, turning out an album of solid, rootsy folk-rock songs that have simple, powerful hooks. "Hold My Hand" has a singalong chorus that epitomizes the band's good-times vibes. None of the tracks transcend their generic status, but they are strong songs for their genre, with crisp chords and bright melodies. Still, the songs wouldn't be convincing without the emotive vocals of Darius Rucker, whose gruff baritone has more grit than the actual songs. At their core, Hootie & the Blowfish are a bar band, but they managed to convince millions of listeners that they were the local bar band, and that's why Cracked Rear View was a major success. ~ by Stephen Thomas Erlewine, allmusic.com

Cracked Rear View marks the commercial debut of these college buddies from South Carolina, and it sold an astonishing 13 million copies in its first year of release. Included in Rolling Stone's "Essential Recordings of the 90's."



Tracks:
01. Hannah Jane
02. Hold My Hand
03. Let Her Cry
04. Only Wanna Be With You
05. Running From An Angel
06. I'm Goin' Home
07. Drowning
08. Time
09. Look Away
10. Not Even The Trees
11. Goodbye
12. Sometimes I Feel

Credits:
Recorded at N.R.G. Recording Services, North Hollywood, California
Mark Bryan (vocals, acoustic & electric guitars, mandolin, piano, percussion)
Darius Rucker (vocals, acoustic guitar, percussion) 
Dean Felber (vocals, piano, Clavinet, bass) 
Jim "Soni" Sonefeld (vocals, piano, drums, percussion). 
Additional personnel: 
Lili Haydn (violin) 
John Nau (piano, Hammond B-3 organ) 
David Crosby (background vocals)