Their recent release Cracked Rear View hit the mainstream hard and fast. VH1's Morning Music Wire has completely debased the power of "Let Her Cry" by playing it every single morning. The local radio station for new and classic rock has been giving Cracked Rear View an overdose of air time, and the CD seems to be in the "what's cool" and "what's new" sections of every music store on the planet.

So I bought it.

Cracked Rear View, from Hootie and the Blowfish, combines raw instrumental and vocal talent with a broad range of musical emotion. Rarely does a group come forward with such a unique and refreshing sound.

I thoroughly enjoyed every track. The tracks comprising the latter two-thirds of this masterpiece are more mellow then their over-played predessors. They still carry a rich emotional power which is sadly absent from many of the hollow "tunes" put out these days.

The album was produced, engineered, and mixed by Don Gehman, who took the magnificent vocals and music and made them even better.

The only downside I can find is that the discography contains no lyrics. However, this minor reservation on my part means I'm "forced" to play it a few more times at the office before I can write my review.

Cracked Rear View is of the class of music I take along to listen to under the shade trees.