[Thumbs Down]Darius Rucker "Wild One" (Hidden Beach/Epic) Wouldn't it be great if the Hootie & the Blowfish singer — who's adopted an R&B lothario look and signed to the label behind Jill Scott — turned out to be a first-rate soul crooner? Fat chance. Rucker's debut solo single has some nice retro production, but it suffers from his weak, awkward singing and some of the worst lyrics ever set to tape ("If you throw this dog a bone/Maybe you and I can make our house a home"). D --Rob Brunner
[Thumbs Up]Darius Rucker "Wild One" (Hidden Beach/Epic) Even if it's hard to picture the R&B crowd hailing Rucker as the new D'Angelo, anyone with ears has to admit this is one catchy trifle. Unlike much neo-soul, it's got a chorus you catch yourself humming hours after hearing it. And the poker-faced humor that was a Hootie trademark colors Rucker's delivery, giving the proceedings a goofy, puppy-dog charm. More like this, please. A- --TS
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