Looking For Lucky
Dire as it might have appeared when Darius Rucker appeared strumming a guitar in full cowboy regalia on a fast food commercial, Hootie & the Blowfish have not gone belly up. In fact, the songs the band uncorks onLooking for Luckyare so quintessential Hootie, right in line with 1994'sCracked Rear Viewand its 1996 follow-upFairweather Johnson,that the three middling discs sandwiched between them and this offering could justifiably be yanked from their discography. The first single "One Love" lifts its sentiment (and its title) from Bob Marley, rubbing the master's message of peace and love with shiny pop polish. "State Your Peace" reins in its heavy-handed theme by way of straight-up sunny rock (think "Only Wanta Be with You" doused with some substance). "Leaving" loosens genre constrictions with a new-school bluegrass cut-up. Even a waltz is a thrown in - a cool, hum-along kind of waltz that makes you want to hear more.Looking for Luckyshould cancel all concerns that Rucker & company have a long future of hamburger-hawking.--Tammy La Gorce