Album of the Day

Hootie & The Blowfish had their work cut out for them when they entered the studio to cut the follow-up to CRACKED REAR VIEW, one of the bestselling albums of the 1990s, but FAIRWEATHER JOHNSON shows the South Carolina quartet building on the strengths of their debut. The 1996 Atlantic collection boasts thoughtful lyrics that belie Hootie's reputation for breezy singalongs, and passionate performances on such tracks as “Tucker's Town,” “Sad Caper” and “Old Man & Me (When I Get To Heaven)” underline the band's commitment to the songs. The album debuted at No.1 and went double-platinum; if that's a bit less than its predecessor, FAIRWEATHER JOHNSON is in many ways a more rewarding listen, and the perfect way to celebrate vocalist Darius Rucker's birthday.