ℕ𝕖𝕨 𝕐𝕖𝕒𝕣’𝕤 𝔻𝕒𝕪

After fourteen years, The Blowfish are back. The band went on hiatus in 2008 and had not released an album since the “Looking for Lucky” album in 2005, so this album was highly awaited for by fans, old and new. Hootie and the Blowfish were wildly successful ever since their debut album in 1994 (Cracked Rear View) which is the 19^th best-selling album of all time in the USA, going platinum a total of 21 times and the band won a 2 Grammys the next year. The band has sold 21 million album copies and lead singer Darius Rucker went on to have an incredibly successful solo career in country music. 

The albums opening song, “New Year’s Day,” has the classic Hootie and the Blowfish feel as soon as it starts and you instantly know that the band has never lost their iconic sound of Rucker’s southern singing mixed with the same instrumental sound of the rock singalongs that everyone knows from the 90s and 00s. New Year’s day has a catchy chorus that is easy to just sing along to by the second time the chorus comes around which makes it easy listening and simply fun to enjoy.

My other favourite songs on the album were “Miss California” and “Everybody But You.” “Miss California” has a lot more of a country feel to it and you can definitely hear the years of Darius Rucker’s country career shining through which brings something new to the classic Hootie sound. “Everybody But You” is just a classic singalong hit from Hootie and the Blowfish, it’s the kind of song that once the chorus comes around you have to turn the volume all the way up and sing your heart out no matter how toned deaf. The album is nostalgic and fresh all in one and is the perfect combination to reel in new fans while catering to those who bought the first album in a record shop.