Back to Then

Darius Rucker | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (July 30, 2002)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Hidden Beach
• ASIN: B000066HQD
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Audio Cassette  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (74 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #9,467 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Japanese edition of the Hootie & The Blowfish frontman's 2002 solo album includes two exclusive bonus tracks, 'Sexy Lover' & 'When's The Last Time'. Featured artists include Jill Scott & Snoop Dogg. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

36 of 36 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The most slept on CD of 2002, July 30, 2002

By 

The Fancy One "blackprincess" (Westchester County, NY) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Back to Then (Audio CD)

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!

26 of 27 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Hootie this is not...but better!, July 30, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: Back to Then (Audio CD)

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!

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Usher who?, November 12, 2002

By 

"man_in_the_box" (PA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Back to Then (Audio CD)

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!