They range in vigor from comments that merely dismiss the group as being forgettably banal to ones claiming that their very existence proves the decline of Western civilization. But more often than not, they are described as cozy, bland, derivative and passionless. The new album showcases a joint effort with Toad the Wet Sprocket as well as a duet with country singer Nanci Griffith. But this is another case of the band being almost too eclectic for its own good. Even more interestingly, for its live shows the band has recently begun using the services of Peter Holsapple, former R.E.M. sideman and founder of the legendary Chapel Hill band the dB's.
Mediocrity abounds in music, as it does in life.
The Blowfish's form of it is no more noxious than that of a million other bands. It would probably be going too far to claim that all this bad press has its roots in a peculiar kind of racism. Maybe because so much black music over the years has been so excellent and beloved, Americans tend to expect black musicians to be a lot better than white ones. There's just no there there, listen as one might. The title cut is symptomatic of Hootie's confusion.