Album of the Day

Hootie & The Blowfish's earliest performances in the clubs, bars and frat houses surrounding the University of South Carolina no doubt included many covers, and the band had a soft spot for these songs even after its multi-platinum 1994 breakthrough. SCATTERED, SMOTHERED AND COVERED gathers 15 tracks originally recorded by other artists and previously unavailable except on B-sides, various artist compilations and foreign-issue bonus cuts. The band's taste is pretty broad, including not just country (Vic Chesnutt's “Gravity of the Situation”), R&B (Bill Withers' “Use Me”) and classic rock (Led Zeppelin's “Hey Hey What Can I Do”), but surprisingly effective takes on favorites from R.E.M., The Smiths and Tom Waits. With Darius Rucker's soulful vocals front and center, the band's committed performances make their love of this music plain for all to hear. The title of SCATTERED, SMOTHERED AND COVERED was inspired by a southern restaurant chain's savory hash browns, and the 2000 Atlantic collection is mighty tasty itself.