"Only wanna be with You ~~~~~~" Cracked Rear View originally came out in 1994, and "Only Wanna Be With You" and "Hold My Hand" ruled the airwaves. The sing-along factor is ridiculous on the tunes, which helped elevate the full-length to 16-times-platinum status, and Cracked… is the 16th-best-selling album of all time in the U.S. The heartland/blues rock sound really hit home with folks, and the feel-good vibe of the aforementioned singles is just undeniable. BUT, get past the two smash hits, the 12-tracker bubbles with a little more depth; topics like death, racism, and drug abuse are spoken about in an earnest, Hootie manner, and songs like "Let Her Cry," "Time," and "Goodbye" definitely deserve some listens. For Rhino's 2017 "Start Your Ear Off," the album makes a comeback, and for fans, it's important to point out that Cracked… has not been available since the first pressing in 1995.

• part of "Start Your Ear Off Right" series
• limited edition
• yellow / black swirl vinyl
• music label: Atlantic 1994 / 2016

reviewed by donut savage 10/2017