Overlooked Albums from the 90's - #2

again, as a point of reference:
Pitchfork's top albums of the 90's
1st version of their list

now, this week's overlooked album:
The Inevitable by Squirrel Nut Zippers:

So this pick is a bit personal.
Many people will remember Squirrel Nut Zippers from their association with the swing craze of the 90's and their 'hit' song "Hell" (Windows Media format alert) off of their 1997 album Hot and thus; many people would write them off as just another flash in the pan worthlessness like, say, The Cherry Poppin' Daddies. You'd be WRONG if you were thinking that way. See, they're not really "swing" per se, more "hot jazz"; but that's not even the point.

My story goes something like this:
I worked on an indie film in 1994 and Tom Maxwell was acting in it (as were lots of local bands/music people) and he told me about the band he was in, turned out the band was Squirrel Nut Zippers and their debut album was released soon after, in 1995. Me and my friends got the album and right away it became a full-time favorite at our house and we went and caught them live as many times as we could. The mixture of fun, feet-moving songs with the sultry singing of Katharine Whalen is just perfect balance. It's timeless, classic...reminds me of good times and the South and I'll venture a guess that it'd inspire similar feelings in YOU even if you had nothing to do with good times or the South or Squirrel Nut Zippers in 1995.
Needless to say, it was and STILL IS an amazing record.

You can buy it at that previous Amazon link or on iTunes here

see the 1st "Overlooked Album from the 90's" here