Search - Squirrel Nut Zippers :: Bedlam Ballroom

Influences Come From All Over

Felix Schultz | Canton, Ohio United States | 08/28/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I never saw a contract or specification saying that the Squirrel Nut

Zippers had to play Dixieland or Swing, or any other kind of music on their albums. Like most other bands, they play what they feel compelled to play. On this particular CD they play

Southern-Influenced music that is not like previous albums. Some

record buyers want bands to turn out same-sounding records so that when they listen to them there is no thinking involved. But

if an artist is allowed to express himself, or herself, wonderful

things can happen--like on this album. A little bit of R&B or

Rockabilly can be expected in Southern-influenced music. And there have been a lot of great Rockabilly groups to be influenced by over the years. Some of

the music here reminds me of Brave Combo (a band with no hint of

sticking to any genre, but still play great entertaining music.)

Bedlam Ballroom has the same great musicians as all the other

albums they have done. Maybe their next one will be like the

older ones, maybe it will be something completely different.

Variety, they say, is the spice. This CD is a great listen.

Buy it and grow. Or not. It's your cash.

"

Hot diggity!

James C. Mcomber | Jewtah | 06/22/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This probably isn't the Zippers' best CD, but it does have my favorite song in the world on it: Hush. It's a beautiful song with the most romantic string part I've ever heard (executed solely by the great Andrew Bird), and, in my opinion, it's today's greatest Gershwin-style ballad in existence.



Aside from the idiotic choice to put several seconds of an electronic beat at the beginning of "Bedbugs" (WHY, JIMBO? THAT AIN'T OLD-TIME MUSIC!), they're still just as jazzy as ever. However, I still stand by my belief that Perennial Favorites is their finest hour."

Good, not great

J. Alexander | Southern California | 01/01/2005

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Well, I am a real fan of the Squirrel Nut Zippers, and have all of their albums (except their live one). This one just didn't quite do it for me. FOr my money, HOT is track-for-track their best; it has an energy and a cohesion that none of their other albums have acheived. Which doesn't mean that the other albums are anything to shake a stick at. Even this album, with the fantastic opener "Bedbugs" and the playful "Missings Link", is a very good listen. The song "Hush" is probably their greatest ballad, and so lush you'd think it came from some great old movie. However, as a whole, I just didn't enjoy this album AS MUCH AS their others; but for a band as fun as the SNZ, their worst is still worth the price of the CD."