World/Inferno Friendship Society
Just The Best Party CD - Gern Blandsten

This sounds like a bad idea. A mixture of punk speed, showtunes, gypsy camp, and orchestral swing? And a cumbrous name? Come on! We all remember the downward spiral of The Squirrel Nut Zippers, right? Yet somehow this extravagant New York City group of nine makes it all work. Perhaps because the potential excess made possible the large number of personnel is kept firmly in check by a strong focus on songwriting. The flamboyant vocals often recall the high drama of The Cramps, or the boozy waltz of The Pogues, while the good-natured strings and horns impart a bawdy punch to the affair, the whole creating a hedonistic free-for-all that keeps the party going and never overstays its welcome. Though I would surely watch the silverware with these characters of loose morals in the house. (Reed Jackson)
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