They are the band that just won't go away despite the fact that their time has run out and their reign of hits is long over. That's not to say that Hootie and the Blowfish wasn't a stand out band at the time their debut Cracked Rear View hit the top of the charts in the mid 90's, it's just that the sound is not all that relevant come 2001. Darius Rucker's voice is annoying at best, and after only three studio albums, it is arguably a bit premature of the group to release a rarities and covers collection.
Out of the set on Scattered, Smothered, and Covered, the only covers that listeners will probably recognize are a slowed down version of "Driver 8," originally recorded by R.E.M, along with the now southern rock styled "Hey Hey What Can I Do," originally recorded by Led Zeppelin. Fans will remember "I Go Blind," a hit single that only previously existed on the Friends soundtrack.
Other than that, the disc is consumed with filler and tracks that never made any of the band's previous albums. They were either stored up in a vault or released as B-sides throughout the last few years. Such tracks are "Before the Heartache Rolls In," recorded first by Foster and Lloyd and "Araby," originally sung by the obscure band the Reivers, both recorded during the Fairweather Johnson sessions. The band also includes the acoustic "Dream Baby" in which Rucker fails at his crooning attempt of Roy Orbison.
This disc is for die hards only and they are even destined for disappointment. Any one who doesn't own all three of their studio discs and hasn't seen the group live shouldn't even bother with this release.
1.5 tocks
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