Hold our hands, 'cause Hootie & The Blowfish just announced their first new album in 15 years
It’s been 15 years since Darius Rucker, Mark Bryan, Jim Sonefeld, and Dean Felber—known, for better or worse, to the wider world as Hootie & The Blowfish—last released an album. (And 25 since the band’s ridiculously successful debut, Cracked Rear View, launched its way to 21-times-platinum record status.) For much of that time they’ve been on hiatus, while Rucker pursued his solo career as a country musician—albeit the sort of “hiatus” that included reuniting for regular charity concerts, because, for as much shit as they get over their name, the members of Hootie & The Blowfish actually seem like pretty good dudes.
Anyway, that long national nightmare came to a close earlier this year, when the band embarked on a hefty (and very successful) reunion tour, inviting people to once again hold their hands, let her cry, only wanna be with you, etc. Now, in the midst of the tour, the band has announced their first new album in years, titled Imperfect Circle. The album is being released on UMG’s Nashville label, which Rucker has been signed up with as a solo artist for years. (Which doesn’t necessarily mean it’ll be “a country album,” although Hootie Etc.’s music was always far more inclined to bluegrass and twang than its more grungy contemporaries.) The album is due out on November 1.