Squirrel Nut Zippers' second album,
Hot, was one of the most surprising success stories of 1997. Like the group's debut,
The Inevitable,
Hot is comprised entirely of good-natured, if slightly tongue-in-cheek, postmodern big-band music. The band has nailed the sound of jump blues and swinging jazz, and if
the Zippers don't have the chops of real big bands, they do have enthusiasm and a sense of humor. Of course, for purists of the genre, that collegiate sense of humor might make
Hot a little unbearable, especially those instances when
Katharine Whalen sounds uncannily like
Billie Holiday, only without the substance. For those willing to overlook such things, they'll find
Hot to be a good time, filled with songs nearly as infectious as the group's breakthrough hit, "Hell." ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine