Bogalusa Boogie
Having won unanimous praise as a high-water mark in the zydeco and Cajun traditions,Bogalusa Boogieshould have a place reserved for it in any collection of American music. It's got enough driving energy to hold its weight against any rock recording of the mid-1970s, when it was recorded in one day. It's got a trawler full of zydeco soul, too, riding a percussion wave built from the King of Zydeco's brother Cleveland Chenier's rub-board and Robert St. Julian's lag-time blues drumming. Leading the Red Hot Louisiana Band from behind his brawny, always-on accordion, Clifton Chenier charges through "Ride 'Em Cowboy" with devil-may-care abandon and then slinks into a chilled blues on "I May Be Wrong," riffing his accordion off the sax and guitar in splendid contrast. Chenier never sounded better on record than here, and for that fact alone, this is a must-have.--Andrew Bartlett