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Hootie & the Blowfish: Band
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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.
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Hootie and the Blowfish had to cancel many of their summer shows because singer Darius Rucker is recovering from a staph infection. But that didn't keeep the band from performing on "The Early Show." | Share
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In 2000, the band founded the Hootie & the Blowfish Foundation, to help out needy children in South Carolina. Soon the Foundation's work spread nationwide, helping disadvantaged students as well as school music programs across the country.
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The album represents a new beginning of sorts... appropriately titled simply Hootie & The Blowfish. It’s a collection that builds on past strengths while adding some new sonic touches. “Innocence” and “Space” are only two of the set’s highpoints. Most recently, the band once again showed their way with a familiar tune, covering “Goodbye Girl,” the theme song to the classic ’70s Neil Simon movie written and originally sung by David Gates, former leader of the band Bread. The group cut the song for a new TNT version of the movie, but in or out of that context, “Goodbye Girl” once again proves that this is a band that’s brought their own brand of soulful pop to the world of rock.
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The album represents a new beginning of sorts... appropriately titled simply Hootie & The Blowfish. It’s a collection that builds on past strengths while adding some new sonic touches. “Innocence” and “Space” are only two of the set’s highpoints. Most recently, the band once again showed their way with a familiar tune, covering “Goodbye Girl,” the theme song to the classic ’70s Neil Simon movie written and originally sung by David Gates, former leader of the band Bread. The group cut the song for a new TNT version of the movie, but in or out of that context, “Goodbye Girl” once again proves that this is a band that’s brought their own brand of soulful pop to the world of rock.
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Hootie waited three years before releasing their next studio album. In a world where nu-metal rules the modern rock charts, Darius Rucker and company can sound positively elderly. Still, if Dave Matthews can be a star, there's hope for straightforward rock bands. Accordingly, Hootie & the Blowfish (produced, other than one song, by Don Was) is a solid effort, even if it lacks Musical Chairs' songwriting prowess. The single "Space" and the lilting "Innocence" are the best things here. If nothing else, it's to their credit that Hootie and the Blowfish are still trying.
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