Cracked Rear View – 1994
Cracked Rear View is the debut studio album by Hootie & the Blowfish, released on July 5, 1994 by Atlantic Records. The album became extremely popular and remains one of the best-selling albums in history.
Don Gehman was chosen by A&R man Tim Sommer as a producer because of his previous work with John Mellencamp and R.E.M.
Critical reviews of Cracked Rear View were mostly positive. The Allmusic review by Stephen Thomas Erlewine gave it four and a half stars out of five, and said that it was “the success story of 1994/1995.” He also said, “Although Hootie & the Blowfish aren’t innovative, they deliver the goods, turning out an album of solid, rootsy folk-rock songs that have simple, powerful hooks.”
Track listing
All songs written by Mark Bryan, Dean Felber, Darius Rucker and Jim “Soni” Sonefeld.
“Hannah Jane” – 3:33
“Hold My Hand” – 4:15
“Let Her Cry” – 5:08
“Only Wanna Be with You” – 3:46
“Running from an Angel” – 3:37
“I’m Goin’ Home” – 4:11
“Drowning” – 5:01
“Time” – 4:53
“Look Away” – 2:38
“Not Even the Trees” – 4:37
“Goodbye” – 4:05
Includes hidden track “Sometimes I Feel Like a Motherless Child” (Traditional) – 0:54
In 2001, the album was re-released on DVD-Audio with the disc featuring a discography, photo gallery, and video of a live performance of “Drowning”.
Personnel
Hootie & the Blowfish
Mark Bryan – mandolin on “Only Wanna Be with You”, piano on “Not Even the Trees”, electric guitar, acoustic guitar, vocal percussion
Dean Felber – piano on “Only Wanna Be with You”, bass guitar, clavinet, vocals
Darius Rucker – vocals, acoustic guitar, percussion
Jim “Soni” Sonefeld – glasses on “Not Even the Trees”, drums, percussion, vocals, piano
Additional musicians
David Crosby – background vocals on “Hold My Hand”
Lili Haydn – violin on “Look Away” and “Running from an Angel”
John Nau – piano on “I’m Goin’ Home”, Hammond organ
Production
Jean Cronin – art director
Don Gehman – producer, engineer, mixing
Michael McLaughlin – photography
Wade Norton – assistant engineer
Gena Rankin – production coordinator
Eddy Schreyer – mastering
Tim Sommer – artists and repertoire
Liz Sroka – assistant mixing