Music review: Darius Rucker 鈥� 鈥榃hen Was the Last Time鈥�
As part of Hootie & the Blowfish, Darius Rucker will always bring to mind the wonderful memories of the day I married my wife. After the ceremony and reception, a friend had loaned us his Cadillac to use during our honeymoon.
Having a CD player in your vehicle back then was a big deal, so we scurried around in search of music to accompany us on our celebratory drive. 鈥淐racked Rear View鈥� had just been released a few months earlier and we quickly agreed on having it serve as our unofficial soundtrack to help usher in our new life together.
While my marriage is stronger than ever, Hootie & the Blowfish would later disband with Rucker lending his smooth baritone voice to the world of country music.
For his fifth country release, the former Hootie & the Blowfish frontman firmly secures his transition from mainstream pop-rock singer to country superstar.
鈥淲hen Was the Last Time鈥� is the South Carolina native鈥檚 finest effort fueled by heartfelt arrangements that detail passionate stories about life, love and simply enjoying those heaven-on-earth moments.
鈥淟ife鈥檚 Too Short鈥� is an infectious track that best sums up the easygoing mood of the album with Rucker comfortably announcing, 鈥淚 don鈥檛 like this living, I love it/Sweet magnolia blue skies up above it/I don鈥檛 call Carolina just a place I visit/I call Carolina home/I don鈥檛 like drinking beer, I love it/On the back porch swinging with my honey/Life鈥檚 too short just to like it so you better get to loving/This living before it鈥檚 gone/Life鈥檚 too short.鈥�
Well said for sure.
The title track supports the same carefree sentiment through the encouragement of soaking in the excitement of trying something for the first time.
The good times continue with 鈥淪traight to Hell,鈥� 鈥淐ount the Beers鈥� and 鈥淪tory to Tell.鈥� On the former number, Rucker invites fellow country brothers Jason Aldean, Luke Bryan and Charles Kelley to help deliver a rowdy cover of the Drivin鈥� N鈥� Cryin鈥� song from 1989.
鈥淚f I Told You鈥� is the album鈥檚 moving first single that features Rucker singing about a man seeking unconditional love by openly confessing his failures and faults to the woman who holds his full attention.
Other highlights include the clever 鈥淭wenty Something,鈥� the steamy 鈥淗ands On Me鈥� and the charming 鈥淏ring It On.鈥�
Whether it is with Hootie or solo, Rucker has always had a knack for making people feel at ease with the songs he sings.
When was the last time you did something for the first time? Rucker is just daring you to follow that feeling.
Clint Rhodes is the 缅北禁地 music reviewer. He can be reached at clinton43@me.com.