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A lot happened to Hootie & the Blowfish between 2005's Looking for Lucky and 2019, but most of it can be boiled down to this: Darius Rucker became a country star in 2008. He had his first Country Airplay that year with "Don't Think I Don't Think About It," then five years later, he had a crossover smash with a cover of Old Crow Medicine Show's "Wagon Wheel," thereby cementing his commercial viability outside of the confines of Hootie & the Blowfish. The separation wasn't acrimonious. The group got together occasionally to play charity shows or to bid adieu to David Letterman, but they didn't officially reunite until their debut album, Cracked Rear View, reached its 25th anniversary in 2019. To celebrate, they launched a tour and recorded a brand-new album called Imperfect Circle. Working with producers Jeff Trott and Frank Rogers (the latter penned and helmed some early solo hits for Rucker), Hootie manage to strike a nice blend between the group's signature college rock singalongs and Rucker's slick, cheerful solo work. The surface of Imperfect Circle is every bit as slick as a big-budget project coming out of the Music City -- not for nothing is this released on Capitol Nashville -- but the band doesn't take any left turns into honky tonks, not even when they record "Hold On," a song co-written by Chris Stapleton. Instead, they ease into the sunny slipstream that lies between country and roots rock, relying on happy and comfortable hooks that make the 13 songs on Imperfect Circle feel instantly familiar. Such coziness was latent on Cracked Rear View and turned into Darius Rucker's calling card as he carved out a career in Nashville, so it suits the middle-aged Hootie & the Blowfish quite well; they prefer to laugh about the good old days instead of trying to re-live them. This friendliness lends itself to a collection of songs that are resolutely sturdy, designed to sound more charming over time, and the inherent warmth of Imperfect Circle is reason enough to give the tunes a chance to grow. After all, it offers a mighty good time: it's a reunion that conjures the spirit of the past without succumbing to nostalgia.
© Stephen Thomas Erlewine /TiVo
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Jeff Trott, Producer, Acoustic Guitar, Electric Guitar, Additional Keyboards, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Michael Brauer, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Lars Fox, Editor, StudioPersonnel - Darius Rucker, Vocals, AssociatedPerformer - Joe LaPorta, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Buckley Miller, Recording Engineer, Programming, AssociatedPerformer, StudioPersonnel - Ian Fitchuk, Piano, Hammond B3, Wurlitzer Electric Piano, AssociatedPerformer - Jim "Soni" Sonefeld, Drums, Percussion, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - Mark Bryan, Electric Guitar, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - Hootie & The Blowfish, MainArtist, ComposerLyricist - Eric Paslay, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Tofer Brown, ComposerLyricist - Sean Badum, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Fernando Reyes, Assistant Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Elliot Elsey, Vocal Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Dean Ferber, AssociatedPerformer, Bass (Vocal)
℗ 2019 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Frank Rogers, Producer, Recording Engineer, Baritone Guitar, AssociatedPerformer, StudioPersonnel - David Ryan Harris, ComposerLyricist - Darius Rucker, Vocals, AssociatedPerformer - Julian King, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Joe LaPorta, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - JUstin Niebank, Mixer, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - David Dorn, Keyboards, AssociatedPerformer - Dean Felber, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer, Bass (Vocal) - Jim "Soni" Sonefeld, Drums, Percussion, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - Mark Bryan, Acoustic Guitar, Electric Guitar, Piano, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - Brian David Willis, Editor, StudioPersonnel - Hootie & The Blowfish, MainArtist, ComposerLyricist - Andrew DeRoberts, ComposerLyricist - Bryce Roberts, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel
℗ 2019 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Jeff Trott, Producer, Acoustic Guitar, Strings, AssociatedPerformer - Michael Brauer, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Brian Willis, Editor, StudioPersonnel - MATT ROLLINGS, Piano, Hammond B3, Wurlitzer Electric Piano, AssociatedPerformer - Darius Rucker, Vocals, AssociatedPerformer - Joe LaPorta, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Buckley Miller, Recording Engineer, Programming, AssociatedPerformer, StudioPersonnel - Jim "Soni" Sonefeld, Drums, Percussion, AssociatedPerformer - Mark Bryan, Electric Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Hootie & The Blowfish, MainArtist, ComposerLyricist - Lucie Silvas, Background Vocalist, FeaturedArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Ed Sheeran, ComposerLyricist - Joel Crouse, ComposerLyricist - Sean Badum, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Fernando Reyes, Assistant Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Kyle Rife, ComposerLyricist - Elliot Elsey, Vocal Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Dean Ferber, AssociatedPerformer, Bass (Vocal)
℗ 2019 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Jim Beavers, ComposerLyricist - Frank Rogers, Producer, Recording Engineer, Baritone Guitar, AssociatedPerformer, StudioPersonnel - Chris Stapleton, ComposerLyricist - Darius Rucker, Vocals, AssociatedPerformer - Julian King, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - JUstin Niebank, Mixer, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - David Dorn, Keyboards, AssociatedPerformer - Dean Felber, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer, Bass (Vocal) - Jim "Soni" Sonefeld, Drums, Percussion, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - Mark Bryan, Acoustic Guitar, Electric Guitar, Mandolin, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - Brian David Willis, Editor, StudioPersonnel - Hootie & The Blowfish, MainArtist - Bryce Roberts, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel
℗ 2019 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Jeff Trott, Producer, Acoustic Guitar, Additional Keyboards, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Michael Brauer, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Lars Fox, Editor, StudioPersonnel - Darius Rucker, Vocals, AssociatedPerformer - Sheryl Crow, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - Joe LaPorta, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Buckley Miller, Recording Engineer, Programming, AssociatedPerformer, StudioPersonnel - Ian Fitchuk, Hammond B3, Wurlitzer Electric Piano, AssociatedPerformer - Jim "Soni" Sonefeld, Drums, Percussion, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - Mark Bryan, Electric Guitar, Additional Keyboards, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - Hootie & The Blowfish, MainArtist, ComposerLyricist - Sean Badum, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Fernando Reyes, Assistant Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Gavin Smith, Trombone, AssociatedPerformer - Charlton Singleton, Trumpet, AssociatedPerformer - Elliot Elsey, Vocal Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Dean Ferber, Moog Bass, AssociatedPerformer, Bass (Vocal) - Mark Sterbank, Tenor Saxophone, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 2019 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Jeff Trott, Producer, Acoustic Guitar, Additional Keyboards, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - David Ryan Harris, ComposerLyricist - Michael Brauer, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Lars Fox, Editor, StudioPersonnel - Darius Rucker, Vocals, AssociatedPerformer - Sheryl Crow, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - Joe LaPorta, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Buckley Miller, Recording Engineer, Programming, AssociatedPerformer, StudioPersonnel - Ian Fitchuk, Hammond B3, Wurlitzer Electric Piano, AssociatedPerformer - Jim "Soni" Sonefeld, Drums, Percussion, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - Mark Bryan, Electric Guitar, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - Hootie & The Blowfish, MainArtist, ComposerLyricist - Sean Badum, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Fernando Reyes, Assistant Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Andrew DeRoberts, ComposerLyricist - Elliot Elsey, Vocal Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Dean Ferber, Moog Bass, AssociatedPerformer, Bass (Vocal)
℗ 2019 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Jeff Trott, Producer, Acoustic Guitar, Additional Keyboards, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - Michael Brauer, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Brian Willis, Editor, StudioPersonnel - Darius Rucker, Vocals, AssociatedPerformer - Joe LaPorta, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Buckley Miller, Recording Engineer, Programming, AssociatedPerformer, StudioPersonnel - Jim "Soni" Sonefeld, Drums, Percussion, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - Mark Bryan, Acoustic Guitar, Electric Guitar, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - Hootie & The Blowfish, MainArtist, ComposerLyricist - Michael Webb, Piano, Hammond B3, Mellotron, Wurlitzer Electric Piano, AssociatedPerformer - Sean Badum, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Fernando Reyes, Assistant Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Elliot Elsey, Vocal Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Dean Ferber, AssociatedPerformer, Bass (Vocal)
℗ 2019 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Frank Rogers, Producer, Recording Engineer, Baritone Guitar, AssociatedPerformer, StudioPersonnel, ComposerLyricist - Darius Rucker, Vocals, AssociatedPerformer - Julian King, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Joe LaPorta, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - JUstin Niebank, Mixer, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - David Dorn, Keyboards, AssociatedPerformer - Dean Felber, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer, Bass (Vocal) - Jim "Soni" Sonefeld, Drums, Percussion, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - Mark Bryan, Acoustic Guitar, Electric Guitar, Mandolin, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - Brian David Willis, Editor, StudioPersonnel - Hootie & The Blowfish, MainArtist, ComposerLyricist - Bryce Roberts, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel
℗ 2019 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Jeff Trott, Producer, Accordion, Acoustic Guitar, Electric Guitar, Mellotron, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Michael Brauer, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Brian Willis, Editor, StudioPersonnel - Darius Rucker, Vocals, AssociatedPerformer - Joe LaPorta, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Buckley Miller, Recording Engineer, Programming, AssociatedPerformer, StudioPersonnel - Ian Fitchuk, Piano, Wurlitzer Electric Piano, AssociatedPerformer - Jim "Soni" Sonefeld, Drums, Percussion, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - Mark Bryan, Acoustic Guitar, Electric Guitar, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - Gary Greene, Percussion, AssociatedPerformer - Hootie & The Blowfish, MainArtist, ComposerLyricist - Eric Paslay, Acoustic Guitar, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Sean Badum, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Fernando Reyes, Assistant Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Elliot Elsey, Vocal Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Dean Ferber, AssociatedPerformer, Bass (Vocal)
℗ 2019 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Jeff Trott, Producer, Acoustic Guitar, Additional Keyboards, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - Michael Brauer, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Brian Willis, Editor, StudioPersonnel - James Slater, ComposerLyricist - MATT ROLLINGS, Piano, Hammond B3, Mellotron, Wurlitzer Electric Piano, AssociatedPerformer - Darius Rucker, Vocals, AssociatedPerformer - Joe LaPorta, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Buckley Miller, Recording Engineer, Programming, AssociatedPerformer, StudioPersonnel - Chris August, ComposerLyricist - Jim "Soni" Sonefeld, Drums, Percussion, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - Mark Bryan, Acoustic Guitar, Electric Guitar, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - Hootie & The Blowfish, MainArtist, ComposerLyricist - Sean Badum, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Fernando Reyes, Assistant Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Elliot Elsey, Vocal Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Dean Ferber, AssociatedPerformer, Bass (Vocal)
℗ 2019 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Jeff Trott, Producer, Acoustic Guitar, Keyboards, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - Michael Brauer, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Brian Willis, Editor, StudioPersonnel - JOHN KING, ComposerLyricist - Darius Rucker, Vocals, AssociatedPerformer - Joe LaPorta, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Buckley Miller, Engineer, Programming, AssociatedPerformer, StudioPersonnel - Ian Fitchuk, Piano, Hammond B3, Wurlitzer Electric Piano, Conga, AssociatedPerformer - Jim "Soni" Sonefeld, Drums, Percussion, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - Mark Bryan, Acoustic Guitar, Electric Guitar, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - Gary Greene, Percussion, AssociatedPerformer - Hootie & The Blowfish, MainArtist, ComposerLyricist - Sean Badum, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Fernando Reyes, Assistant Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Adam Doleac, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Elliot Elsey, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Dean Ferber, AssociatedPerformer, Bass (Vocal) - Zach Kale, ComposerLyricist
℗ 2019 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Jeff Trott, Producer, Acoustic Guitar, Electric Guitar, Additional Keyboards, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - Michael Brauer, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Brian Willis, Editor, StudioPersonnel - Darius Rucker, Vocals, AssociatedPerformer - Joe LaPorta, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Buckley Miller, Recording Engineer, Programming, AssociatedPerformer, StudioPersonnel - Ian Fitchuk, Piano, Hammond B3, Mellotron, Wurlitzer Electric Piano, AssociatedPerformer - Jim "Soni" Sonefeld, Drums, Percussion, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - Mark Bryan, Acoustic Guitar, Electric Guitar, Additional Keyboards, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - Hootie & The Blowfish, MainArtist, ComposerLyricist - Sean Badum, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Fernando Reyes, Assistant Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Elliot Elsey, Vocal Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Dean Ferber, Moog Bass, AssociatedPerformer, Bass (Vocal)
℗ 2019 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Jeff Trott, Producer, Acoustic Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Michael Brauer, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Brian Willis, Editor, StudioPersonnel - Patrick Warren, Strings, AssociatedPerformer - Joe LaPorta, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Buckley Miller, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Ian Fitchuk, Piano, AssociatedPerformer - Mark Bryan, Mandolin, AssociatedPerformer - Hootie & The Blowfish, MainArtist, ComposerLyricist - Sean Badum, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Fernando Reyes, Assistant Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Elliot Elsey, Vocal Engineer, StudioPersonnel
℗ 2019 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Mike Mills, ComposerLyricist - Derek George, Acoustic Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - MICHAEL STIPE, ComposerLyricist - PETER BUCK, ComposerLyricist - Darius Rucker, Vocals, Clapping, AssociatedPerformer - Julian King, Producer, Mixer, Keyboards, Percussion, Recording Engineer, AssociatedPerformer, StudioPersonnel - Joe LaPorta, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Lowell Reynolds, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Dean Felber, Clapping, AssociatedPerformer, Bass (Vocal) - Jim "Soni" Sonefeld, Drums, Percussion, Clapping, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - Mark Bryan, Bouzouki, Acoustic Guitar, Mandolin, Clapping, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - Hootie & The Blowfish, MainArtist - William Thomas Berry, ComposerLyricist
℗ 2020 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Jeff Trott, Producer, Acoustic Guitar, Additional Keyboards, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Michael Brauer, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Lars Fox, Editor, StudioPersonnel - Darius Rucker, Vocals, AssociatedPerformer - Sheryl Crow, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - Joe LaPorta, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Buckley Miller, Recording Engineer, Programming, AssociatedPerformer, StudioPersonnel - Ian Fitchuk, Hammond B3, Wurlitzer Electric Piano, AssociatedPerformer - Jim "Soni" Sonefeld, Drums, Percussion, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - Mark Bryan, Electric Guitar, Additional Keyboards, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - Hootie & The Blowfish, MainArtist, ComposerLyricist - Justin Nation, Producer, Additional Producer - Sean Badum, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Fernando Reyes, Assistant Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Gavin Smith, Trombone, AssociatedPerformer - Walshy Fire, Remixer, StudioPersonnel - Charlton Singleton, Trumpet, AssociatedPerformer - Elliot Elsey, Vocal Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Dean Ferber, Moog Bass, AssociatedPerformer, Bass (Vocal) - Mark Sterbank, Tenor Saxophone, AssociatedPerformer - Creative Titans, Producer, Additional Producer
℗ 2020 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Album review
A lot happened to Hootie & the Blowfish between 2005's Looking for Lucky and 2019, but most of it can be boiled down to this: Darius Rucker became a country star in 2008. He had his first Country Airplay that year with "Don't Think I Don't Think About It," then five years later, he had a crossover smash with a cover of Old Crow Medicine Show's "Wagon Wheel," thereby cementing his commercial viability outside of the confines of Hootie & the Blowfish. The separation wasn't acrimonious. The group got together occasionally to play charity shows or to bid adieu to David Letterman, but they didn't officially reunite until their debut album, Cracked Rear View, reached its 25th anniversary in 2019. To celebrate, they launched a tour and recorded a brand-new album called Imperfect Circle. Working with producers Jeff Trott and Frank Rogers (the latter penned and helmed some early solo hits for Rucker), Hootie manage to strike a nice blend between the group's signature college rock singalongs and Rucker's slick, cheerful solo work. The surface of Imperfect Circle is every bit as slick as a big-budget project coming out of the Music City -- not for nothing is this released on Capitol Nashville -- but the band doesn't take any left turns into honky tonks, not even when they record "Hold On," a song co-written by Chris Stapleton. Instead, they ease into the sunny slipstream that lies between country and roots rock, relying on happy and comfortable hooks that make the 13 songs on Imperfect Circle feel instantly familiar. Such coziness was latent on Cracked Rear View and turned into Darius Rucker's calling card as he carved out a career in Nashville, so it suits the middle-aged Hootie & the Blowfish quite well; they prefer to laugh about the good old days instead of trying to re-live them. This friendliness lends itself to a collection of songs that are resolutely sturdy, designed to sound more charming over time, and the inherent warmth of Imperfect Circle is reason enough to give the tunes a chance to grow. After all, it offers a mighty good time: it's a reunion that conjures the spirit of the past without succumbing to nostalgia.
© Stephen Thomas Erlewine /TiVo
About the album
- 1 disc(s) - 15 track(s)
- Total length: 00:50:11
- Main artists: Hootie & The Blowfish
- Composer: Various Composers
- Label: Capitol Nashville
- Genre: Pop/Rock Rock
© 2020 UMG Recordings, Inc. ℗ 2020 UMG Recordings, Inc.
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