Track Listing

1. Suits Are Picking Up The Bill
2. Low Down Man
3. Ghost Of Stephen Foster
4. Pallin' With Al
5. Fat Cat Keeps Getting Fatter
6. Trou Macacq
7. My Drag
8. Soon
9. Evening At Lafitte's
10. The Kraken
11. That Fascinating Thing
12. It's Over

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #52915 in Music
• Released on: 1998-08-04
• Number of discs: 1

Amazon.com
Recorded over a year before its release and put on hold thanks to the phenomenal ride of 1996's Hot, their third release is where the jazz-hoppin' Squirrel Nut Zippers separate from the rest of the nostalgic Voodoo Cherry Daddy pack. Perennial Favorites covers a lot of ground: aching balladry ("Low Down Man," complete with pedal steel and intoned lovingly by chanteuse Katharine Whalen), hilarious show-tune homages ("Ghost of Stephen Foster"), romping props to the past ("Pallin' with Al," a nod to guitarist Al Casey). Thanks to imaginative arrangements, "The Kraken" and "My Drag" transcend retro hipness to forge unique sonic paths. "Suits Are Picking Up the Bill," a zingy diatribe on capitalism, may not turn out to be a smash hit like the earlier "Hell," but these Favorites should endure. --Don Harrison

Entertainment Weekly
Perennial Favorites stresses mannered rethinks of Southern Big Band jazz...

People
The Zippers bring swing out of mothballs with banjo, piano, horns, reeds, upright bass, Louis Jordan-style arrangements and a singer, Katharine Whalen, who does a fair impression of Billie Holiday.

Customer Reviews

brilliant, quirky vocals and arrangements
Like many reviewers here, it took me a few listens to get into the groove of this CD although some hit the spot immediately, like Ghost of Stephen Foster. I think it is fair to say now though, that I am possessed by it--it's my top pick for studio music. And I have to say, the more I listen to it, the more I am absolutely impressed by this band's headstrong individualistic determination to cut their own path and make it work, damn it, and if you don't get one or two songs then too bad for you--they're there anyway!

It's my understanding that this band is from N.C. and plays around there quite a bit--I sure wish they were a local Boston band because they'd garner themselves a cult following pretty quickly although I'm sure they have a huge one down there. Squirrel Nut Zippers, come up here! I, for one, want to dance to your music in person!

Wild and Fun
I didn't really consider myself a fan of swing, but after listening to this swinging beauty, I'm at least a Squirrel Nut Swing afficionado. There really aren't any bands nowadays that come close to the Zippers in originality or heart. These guys pour their heart and soul into their instruments, and the result is a joyous collection of quirky treasures running the gamot from country ballads to showtune classics. The Djangoesque Pallin' With Al, the merry swing of Suits are Picking Up the Bill and the fun Pallin' with Al are my favorites. This album was a really a pleasant surprise to me, and I'm very glad I picked up a copy of it. Give it a try.

:)
This Cd is the best CD i own! SNZ has its own type of music, a blend of swing, zydeco, jazz, big band and rock. This CD will appeal to almost anyone of any age. All my freinds were skeptical of it at first, but after listening they all want to know where they can get it! A GREAT CD!