'Charleston' Not Rucker's Best, Still Worth a Listen

by Julian Spivey

CMA Award winner Darius Rucker released his second country music album “Charleston, SC 1966” on Oct. 12 and even though it’s not as good as his previous effort, it’s still worth a listen.

The name of Rucker’s album is taken from his birthplace and birth year and is homage to country music singer Radney Foster’s 1992 album “Del Rio, TX 1959.” Foster is Rucker’s country music hero and one of the reasons that Rucker made the switch to the genre of country music.

Before turning to country music on his 2008 country debut album “Learn to Live,” Rucker was the lead singer of the popular pop-rock group Hootie & the Blowfish, whose debut album “Cracked Rear View” in 1994 is the fifteenth highest selling album of all time, according to the Recording Industry Association of America. Before becoming a country star, Rucker also released a solo R&B album “Back to Then” in 2002.

The biggest difference between Rucker’s first country album “Learn to Live” and his new release “Charleston, SC 1966” is an obvious one, but not fatal one.

“Charleston, SC 1966” sounds closer to pop music than “Learn to Live” did, which might actually help it become more mainstream. The thing that made “Learn to Live” such a great album, and one of the best from 2008, was its often hardcore country sound on tunes like “Don’t Think I Don’t Think About It” and “All I Want.”

Rucker’s vocals on “Charleston, SC 1966” are as smooth as ever, and Rucker is one of the finest vocalists currently in country music or any genre of music for that matter.

The best song on the album is “Southern State of Mind,” which is probably the countriest sounding song on the album. The song is about wishing you were back home in the South, no matter where you might be.

The first single released from the album is “Comeback Song,” a nice little apologetic song about a man realizing he was wrong after a breakup and wants his girlfriend back. The song has been in regular circulation on country music radio stations for a few months now and just reached the number one spot on the Billboard country music singles chart last week.

“Comeback Song,” which was co-written by Rucker, is his fourth career number one single. “Don’t Think I Don’t Think About It,” “Alright” and “It Won’t Be Like This For Long” all from “Learn to Live” also went to the top of the charts. Rucker’s four number ones are second all time among African-American country singers after Charley Pride’s 29 number one songs.

“Charleston, SC 1966” also includes a duet Rucker does with country superstar Brad Paisley called “I Don’t Care,” which the two co-wrote together. “I Don’t Care” is a fun little song that also gives Paisley a chance to show off his wonderful guitar playing skills. Rucker has opened for Paisley on two tours and the two have become friends. The two will be at the Verizon Arena in Little Rock on Nov. 19.

Another highlight from the album is “Whiskey & You,” in which Rucker cleverly compares whiskey and women saying: “Gets me high/ then knocks me to the ground/ soothes my mind/ and then begins to break me down.”

The album definitely has no shortage in love song like “Love Will Do That,” “The Greatest Thing” and “She’s Beautiful.” The problem with so many similar love songs on the album is that they all seem to run together and none of them really stand out.

“Charleston, SC 1966” is better than most albums you’ll find in the country music genre these days, but if you’re only looking for one Rucker album I’d go with “Learn to Live.”