Jimmie's Chicken Shack - ... Pushing The Salmanilla Envelope (1997)

Jimmie's Chicken Shack is the type of name one would expect from either a country act or Southern-fried country-rockers, but Pushing the Salmanilla Envelope hardly falls into either of those categories. Rather, this promising debut album shows Chicken Shack to be hard-driving alternative rockers whose music is as intense as it is melodic. As metallic and abrasive as things get on "High," "Dropping Anchor," "Milk" and other selections, Jimmie's Chicken Shack has a powerful sense of melody that seldom lets the foursome down. This is a band that gets much of its aggression from metal, punk and alternative, but isn't afraid to incorporate elements of everything from Middle Eastern music to psychedelic rock, funk and rap. Many of lead singer Jimmy Haha's lyrics are quite substantial "Outhouse" addresses environmental concerns, while "Blood" examines the dangers of unprotected sex. A song that many single people could relate to in the '90s, "Blood" speaks of having an overpowering need for intimacy but knowing that promiscuity could kill you. Pushing the Salmanilla Envelope makes you hope that future Chicken Shack releases will be this exciting.