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Squirrel Nut Zippers

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In the midst of my jazz kick a few months ago, I decided to pick this album up without ever hearing of the group. I was simply shocked to see that a band surrounded by grunge rockers in the mid-90s was able to pull off post-modern jazz with such precision and success. If anything, I was interested in how the influences compared to the Miles Davis, John Coltrane and The Rat Pack that I was listening to at the time. These guys (and gal) simply hit the nail on the head with this record. It's fun, and full of swinging jazz, as well as possessing a great sense of humor and enthusiasm. Some of the best tracks include "Got My Own Thing Now," "Put a Lid on It," their break-through hit "Hell," and "Blue Angel". The rest of the tracks are just as infectious as "Hell". If you are really into jazz, you may be a little bugged out by their sense of humor; especially when singer Katharine Whalen transforms herself into Billie Holiday. Nevertheless, this record was aimed toward a younger crowd, so it will most likely be overlooked.