Perennial Favorites

Perennial Favorites is an album by the swing revival band Squirrel Nut Zippers, released in 1998.^[11][12]

Perennial Favorites
Studio album by Squirrel Nut Zippers
Released	August 4, 1998 (1998-08-04)
Studio	Kensway, Pittsboro, North Carolina
Genre	Jazz swing
Length	37:04
Label	Mammoth[1]
Producer	Mike Napolitano, Squirrel Nut Zippers[2][3]
Squirrel Nut Zippers chronology
Sold Out (1997) Perennial Favorites (1998) Christmas Caravan (1998)

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[4]
Robert Christgau	[5]
The Encyclopedia of Popular Music	[1]
Entertainment Weekly	C−[6]
Los Angeles Times	[7]
MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide	[8]
Rolling Stone	[9]
Spin	4/10[10]

The album peaked at No. 18 on the Billboard 200.^[13] It achieved gold status.^[11]

Production

The album was recorded at Ken Mosher's studio in Pittsboro, North Carolina.^[3]

Critical reception

AllMusic wrote: "Part of the reason [the Zippers] stand apart from the rest of the neo-swing crowd is that they don't forget that there was a bit of menace in the days of hot jazz -- it wasn't a naive, swinging party, there was some genuine hedonism as well."^[4] Entertainment Weekly's review called the band "adept but inconsequential," writing that Katharine Whalen's "sleepy Billie Holiday cadences verge on satire."^[6] Spin called the album "self-congratulatory, jokey, essentially heartless cartoon music masquerading as 1920s 'hot jazz'."^[10] The Houston Press deemed it "a dozen rock-solid originals that represent the band's finest and most ambitious collection to date."^[14]

Track listing

1. "Suits Are Picking Up the Bill" (Jimbo Mathus) – 3:04
2. "Low Down Man" (Mathus) – 4:14
3. "Ghost of Stephen Foster" (Mathus) – 3:32
4. "Pallin' with Al" (Maxwell) – 2:41
5. "Fat Cat Keeps Getting Fatter" (Mathus) – 2:47
6. "Trou Macacq" (Maxwell) – 3:17
7. "My Drag" (Mathus) – 3:27
8. "Soon" (Maxwell) – 3:02
9. "Evening at Lafitte's" (Mathus) – 2:48
10. "The Kraken" (Maxwell) – 3:40
11. "That Fascinating Thing" (Mathus) – 2:43
12. "It's Over" (Mathus) – 1:49

• Hidden track: "Berceuse Tendres" – 1:16 [between tracks 11 and 12]

Personnel

• Jimbo Mathus – vocals, trombone, banjo, piano, lead guitar, guitar, percussion, backing vocals
• Tom Maxwell – vocals, tenor and baritone saxophone, gong, backing vocals, clarinet, rhythm guitar
• Katharine Whalen – vocals, banjo
• Ken Mosher – alto and baritone saxophone, guitar, cymbal, Fender Rhodes
• Je Widenhouse – cornet, trumpet, backing vocals
• Stuart Cole – bass
• Don Raleigh – bass
• Chris Phillips – drums, percussion, steel drum, contraption kit, backing vocals

Additional personnel

• Andrew Bird – violin, percussion, background vocals
• Emily Laurance – harp
• Steve Watson – pedal steel
• Rick Lassiter – bass
• Jay Faires – executive producer
• Steve Balcom – executive producer
• Clay Walker – Enhanced CD Design, Multimedia Producer, Photography, Video Editor, Video Producer

References

1. Larkin, Colin (2006). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music. Vol. 7. MUZE. p. 688.
2. "CNN - Squirrel Nut Zippers defy labels with 'Perennial Favorites' - August 4, 1998". CNN.
3. "Squirrel Nut Zippers Sink Teeth Into New LP". MTV News. Archived from the original on January 28, 2021.
4. "Perennial Favorites - Squirrel Nut Zippers | Songs, Reviews, Credits | AllMusic" – via www.allmusic.com.
5. "Robert Christgau: CG: Squirrel Nut Zippers". www.robertchristgau.com.
6. "PERENNIAL FAVORITES;THE DIRTY BOOGIE". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved 21 January 2021.
7. "Separating the Faddies From the Real Swingin' Daddies". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 21 January 2021.
8. MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide. Visible Ink Press. 1999. p. 1080.
9. "Squirrel Nut Zippers: Perennial Favorites : Music Reviews : Rolling Stone". Rolling Stone. October 2, 2007. Archived from the original on 2007-10-02.
10. "Reviews". SPIN. September 21, 1998 – via Google Books.
11. "Squirrel Nut Zippers | Biography & History". AllMusic.
12. Joyce, Mike (August 30, 1998). "THE SWING SET'S UPS & DOWNS" – via www.washingtonpost.com.
13. "Squirrel Nut Zippers". Billboard.
14. Ruggiero, Bob (August 6, 1998). "World of Their Own". Houston Press.