No Depression (3-4/01, p.115) - "...The guests bring some welcome variety, and along with the strong undercurrents of blues and country...it all combines to make this an unusually strong effort..."
Hootie & The Blowfish: Mark Bryan, Darius Rucker (vocals, guitar); Dean Felber (vocals, bass); Jim Sonefeld (vocals, drums, percussion).
Additional personnel includes: Edwin McCain (vocals); Jon Nau (keyboards); Craig Shields (baritone saxophone); Gary Greene (percussion).
Producers: Don Gehman, Tracy Schroeder, Don Dixon, Mark Williams.
Principally recorded at N.R.G. Recording Services, North Hollywood, California and Reflection Studios, Charlotte, North Carolina.
Still entirely comfortable with their reputation of being the ultimate bar band despite having released a debut that sold around 15 million copies, Hootie & The Blowfish regrouped for their fourth album with a covers record featuring rarities and previously unreleased material. Hipsters may sneer at the unassuming musical delivery and Joe Six-Pack personae, but the band's dedication to its fans extended to spearheading an Internet campaign that found voters picking a third of the songs on this collection.
Of the five songs picked by web fiat, artists who get the Hootie treatment include Led Zeppelin (a mandolin-driven "Hey Hey What Can I Do"), The Smiths (a note-perfect "Please, Please, Please Let Me Get What I Want"), and the New Grass Revival (a harmony-laden "Let Me Be Your Man"). The Hootie selections that round out this surprisingly diverse bag include R.E.M., whose "Driver 8" is given a dirge-like arrangement, and a punky rendition of The Reivers' "Araby" that offers some redemption. Darius Rucker's soulful baritone continues to keep the Blowfish afloat and is best utilized on a rich reading of Roy Orbison's "Dream Baby," complete with Jordanaires-like harmonizing.