Darius Rucker - Back to Then (13 tracks) +Album Reviews

The most slept on CD of 2002

The Fancy One | Westchester County, NY | 07/30/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Most people out here simply refuse to look at Darius Rucker without seeing him in only one role: the lead singer of Hootie and the Blowfish and singing only one type of music. This is unfortunate because BACK TO THEN is a very good solo effort, a celebration of old school soul. If that's not your thing, and you're looking for Hootie's style of music, then perhaps you should pass on this...but if you are a fan of old school R&B, then you will love it!

Darius enlists the assistance of some of today's R&B heavy hitters (Musiq, Jimmy Cozier, Lil Mo, Jill Scott, and Dre and Vidal of DJ Jazzy Jeff's A Touch of Jazz Productions) and the result is an eclectic neo soul-type vibe. Okay, it does have its flaws (the unnecessary hip-hop track with Snoop Dogg, "Sleeping In My Bed" in particular - I played it once and once was enough), but Darius proves to us that he has far more versatility than what you hear on the Hootie records. Upon hearing the head-bopping opener "Wild One" for the first time, he sounded so different that I didn't even know it was him!

Old school R&B legends like Marvin Gaye, Al Green and Teddy Pendergrass come to mind when you hear the cuts on this CD. The most outstanding songs are "Exodus", "Sometimes I Wonder" (a duet with Jill Scott...their voices compliment each others PERFECTLY), "Back To Then", "This Is My World", "Glad You're Mine", "Butterfly" and "Ten Years" (a revealing look into Darius' personal life, absolutely breathtaking).

Yes, ladies and gentlemen, Darius Rucker is a wonderful R&B singer, and BACK TO THEN is proof of that. He said that this was the album he always wanted to make long before he ever thought about joining about a band, and I'm so glad this has finally come to pass. I'm looking forward to more solo work from Darius. Hope this CD finally gives him the props he truly deserves!"

Hootie this is not...but better!

The Fancy One | 07/30/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"For people thinking this is an extension of Hootie and the Blowfish's style of music, you will be disappointed, but don't despair. Darius has ventured into the R&B world with a tight and suave album of soul. I am big Hootie fan, but after waiting months for the long anticipated album I was not disappointed. Working with Musiq, Jill Scott, and Jimmy Cozier (R&B fans are well aware of those artists) to name a few, Darius delivers one of the best produced albums in some time. Jill Scott lends her voice for "Sometimes I wonder" and their voices match like peanut butter and jelly. This isn't Usher or Sisqo, but someone with more talent and a more sophisticated arrangement. If you are a fan of the so called "Neo-Soul" and artists like Jill Scott, Bilal, and Musiq or even fans of classic R&B like Al Green (Darius covers "I'm Glad You're Mine"), Sam Cook, and Marvin Gaye, you will love this album by Darius Rucker! From the first song, "Wild One" on through the CD, you will be bumping to the beat and nodding to the melody. You will not be disappointed with this CD! For all you Hootie & the Blowfish fans, beware, this is not what you are used to; however, I can guarantee you will love it!"

Usher who?

man_in_the_box | PA | 11/12/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"If you're like me, you started to get into music around 1994-95, you just couldn't resist the fun, catchy tunes of a little band from South Carolina called Hootie & The Blowfish. As the years have gone by my taste has gotten heavier and heavier, and a band like Hootie would be last on my list, but I'll admit it, I still have Cracked Rear View to this day. The one thing about Hootie that always really stood out in my point of view, was the voice of frontman Darius Rucker. Very few bands I like actually have lead singers who can sing, but Darius is one of them. He just, sings with so much emotion, like you can really tell how he feels about what he's singing about. Well recently I was on Hootie's web site just for old time's sake, and I saw news of Darius making a solo cd, and I heard that it was going to be an R&B record, not pop-rock. Well I'm not really into R&B, but I decided to check it out, considering I always loved Darius's voice so much. I was shocked. There was just, something about his songs that I loved so much. His voice doesn't sound like anything else in R&B today- he sounds so much more like an old-school R&B singer, like Al Green.So yes, I downloaded and burned the cd, and it now sits in my collection next to Black Sabbath and Iron Maiden! The best songs have to be "Wild One", "One More Night", and "Somewhere".
When I'm listening to this cd I sometimes forget it's the same guy who sang that catchy "I Only Wanna Be With You" song I always begged my parents to turn up the volume to in the summer of 1995. The only other time I can recall really hearing Darius sing like this was on the song "Goodbye" on Cracked Rear View, where it's just a piano & Darius singing.Hootie & The Blowfish might have been the biggest "fad" band of the 90s, but Darius Rucker is one of the most talented singers I've ever heard- this probably will be the only R&B cd ever in my collection, but man, what a good one it is! Keep it up Darius, you're doing great!"

I'm so glad it's mine!

The Fancy One | Westchester County, NY | 08/10/2002

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Well, I don't work for Hidden Beach records, but I LOVE THIS CD. Darius, thank you, thank you, THANK YOU so much for this. You are reminding us that this is what soul music was meant to evolve into, not most of the stuff that's passing for R&B nowadays. He acknowledges his roots in soul music, even though his claim to fame is being a rock/alternate folk singer (Hootie and the Blowfish). But this sure ain't Hootie!!
R&B legends like Marvin Gaye, David Ruffin, Teddy Pendergrass, Otis Redding and Al Green quickly come to mind when you hear Darius' voice on these songs! You can hear the love and sincerity infused into every song on this neo-classic soul influenced cd. Five of the tracks were produced by A Touch of Jazz, best known for their work with Jill Scott and Michael Jackson ("Butterflies"), and Darius collaborates with other heavyweights in the R&B world, like Lil Mo, Musiq and Jimmy Cozier.
My favorite song on Back To Then? "Ten Years". It's so beautiful and emotional that it made me cry the first time I heard it! And there are two versions of it! Other songs you'll love are "Exodus", "This Is My World", "Back To Then", "I'm Glad You're Mine" and "Sometimes I Wonder", a hot duet with Jill Scott which IMO should be the next single. With that song, Darius will definitely blow up! And why isn't "Wild One" being played on the radio?? This song is off the chain! I gave Back To Then four stars because I really didn't care for the last two songs: the Christian themed "Somewhere" and the Snoop Dogg featured hip-hop number, "Sleeping in My Bed", but other than those two, this is a very solid debut. Take Darius Rucker seriously as an R&B artist because he is more than just "Hootie". I definitely want to see and hear more from him as a soloist."

Depends on your expectations

face02 | Schaumburg, IL United States | 09/09/2002

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Reading the negative reviews of this album made me decide to write my personal feelings. It seems to me that the people who did not enjoy this album were expecting something that this album does not set out to be. If you are expecting Hootie and The Blowfish, do not buy this album. If you are expecting an R&B album in the vein of the current Hip Hop movement, do not buy this album. This album is neither of those things.
This album is a strong debut from an artist looking to go a different direction on his own. While Darius has hooked many of us with his distintive voice and addictive melodies on Hootie albums, that isn't what he was trying to do here. He set out to create an R&B album, in the vein of the neo-soul movement. He does fall a little short, but not for lack of trying.
The album is definately not the best neo-soul album out. It does not have best song-writing, but what R&B album does? I think reviewers that complained about the songwriting were forgetting that R&B music is traditionally more focused on the voice of the artist, and not the lyrics.
This is where this album excels. Darius' voice is what made me so interested in the album, and it is what will keep the album in heavy rotation for me. Instead of lending his distinctly powerful vocals to alternative pop, he lends them to slickly produced R&B tracks. It makes for a very good listen.
I do think that the album could have been better. I wish that he could have worked more with the producers from the first few tracks - Andre Davis, who produced most of Jill Scott's first album. It would have kept the album flowing a little better.
Possibly the worst part of the album is the part that I was most interested in hearing - Sleeping in My Bed. Seeing Snoop Dogg on the track made me flip to this one pretty quickly... and then flip back to the start of the album almost as fast. The track is HORRIBLE, and should have been left off. Darius sounds horrible here (the only time on the album) and Snoop sounds misplaced. If I could scratch this off the disc, I would!
That being said, the album does have many bright spots. Wild One, One More Night, and the gospel song Somewhere are all beautiful songs that showcase Darius' voice as well as the lush production. Sometimes I Wonder, the duet with Jill Scott, is an excellent track that should get some airplay. While many have dismissed this track, saying that Darius cannot keep up with Jill's vocals, I disagree. The two vocalists provide a nice balance between her sweetness and his power. Excellent track.
I was more than pleased that they also included This Is My World - which I first heard while watching Shallow Hal. This is a wonderful song, and the song that got me excited for the album.
Finally, there is Ten Years, which is an incredibly candid song written to his wife. While the songwriting on the rest of the album may not live up to many people's expectations, this look into his life should more than make up for it.
Overal, buy this album realizing what it is - a very good R&B/neo-soul album from a great singer. Nothing more, nothing less."

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	Darius Rucker Back to Then Genres: Folk, Pop, R&B, Rock Track Listings (13) - Disc #1 Wild One Exodus Sometimes I Wonder (w/ Jill Scott) Back To Then This Is My World I'm Glad You're Mine Butterfly Hold On Ten Years One More Night Amazing Grace Somewhere Sleeping In My Bed (w/ Snoop Dogg)
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