Photo: Jonathan Boncek Photography
Grammy-winning singer-songwriter and guitarist Mark Bryan, co-founder of Hootie & The Blowfish, drops his latest single, “Don’t Change a Thing,” a track from his upcoming album, Popped, set to release in October via Vere Music.
Bryan explains, “The creative process is where my heart and soul are at, the songs come from God knows where, you feel something going on, you get a vision for it and then you make it happen. When it comes, it’s the best feeling on the planet. Thankfully I’ve been blessed with an energy that keeps that momentum going, keeps me hungry for it.”
“Don’t Change a Thing” follows on the heels of “Ain’t Nothing Better,” “To You My Friend,” and the Beach Boys-inspired “Coastin’,” all of which are from Popped. The forthcoming Popped embraces an array of styles, from rock, doo-wop, tropical pop, folk ballads, and Americana.
Talking about his solo career, Bryan shares, “I started writing songs when I was a teenager. This is where I can make an impact. With Hootie, we got to where we were only going to make a record every few years, which is great, but I have a lot of songs and I’m looking for ways to release stuff on my own, rather than leave it sitting on my hard drive in the studio.”
Hootie & The Blowfish got together in 1986. One of the most popular bands of all time, with sales of over 26 million in the US alone including such record-setting releases as 1994’s 2x RIAA Diamond-certified blockbuster, Cracked Rear View, and classic top 10 hit singles like “Hold My Hand,” “Let Her Cry,” and the #1 pop smash, “Only Wanna Be With You,” Bryan co-wrote all the band’s songs.
In 2019, Hootie & The Blowfish returned after over a decade hiatus, assembling for a sixth studio album and a series of sold-out tours which have seen them performing to a legion of devoted fans that now includes multiple generations.
“Don’t Change a Thing” opens on light, Latin-flavored tones topped by sumptuous vocals blending into fragrant harmony. The Latin sway of the melody rides a thumping, swinging beat. Brass accents lead to the low-slung wail of a flashy saxophone. The outro features beguiling, radiant harmonies highlighted by the lushly braying sax.
The Latin-tinted, quixotic atmosphere created by “Don’t Change a Thing” is at once emotionally revealing and sensuously spellbinding.
