Given their shared enthusiasm for retro signifiers that are clear but a bit elusive, it's hard not to hear the ghosts of
the Squirrel Nut Zippers' brief moment of glory in the first album from
Sallie Ford and the Sound Outside, which is a comparison that might not seem especially flattering to
Ford & Co. While the
Zippers was a band that was lots of fun but noticeably short on technical skill, the
Sound Outside is a tight, solid little combo that packs an impressive wallop; guitarist Jeffrey Munger isn't flashy, but he carries his share of the melodic weight with easy grace and style, while bassist Tyler Tornfelt and drummer Ford Tennis have just the right dynamic touch and can swing for days.
The Sound Outside also has
Sallie Ford, who is inarguably a one-of-a-kind vocalist.
Ford's voice is as big as all outdoors and wild as the wind, sounding like some crazy fusion of
Ella Fitzgerald,
Betty Hutton, and
Polly Jane Harvey, displaying clear roots in blues, jazz, and soul, but also an ambitious and expressive sense of phrasing, and no shyness about reaching for the grand gesture; she's a singular talent who will rub some folks the wrong way and enchant many more, but no one is going to be neutral about her gifts. Between the band's insistent, rootsy groove and songs that meld a variety of melodic influences from previous decades with lyrics that are bold and just a bit eccentric,
Sallie Ford and the Sound Outside are mixing up past and present in a way that's fun and not much like any of their peers, which was also the case with
the Squirrel Nut Zippers before the swing revival went mass for 15 minutes and made them stars, while also providing a convenient pigeonhole. Hopefully a kinder fate awaits
Ford and the Sound Outside -- they have a stronger way with a song, better skills, and a truly striking lead singer -- but they're also just playful enough in their approach to sound a bit like a novelty, and hopefully some cultural phenomenon won't sweep them up before they get a chance to show all they're capable of delivering. ~ Mark Deming