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LI'L BAND O' GOLD Li'l Band o' Gold (Elite) Li'l Band o' Gold draws together veterans from the '50s and '60s swamp pop scene with some of today's hottest Cajun performers. Warren Storm was active in the early years of swamp-pop and has continued to play in regionally popular bands up to the present day. His vibrant and rock-solid drumming and soulful baritone anchor this record. But it really takes off and soars on the accordion playing and tenor vocals of Steve Riley (of the Mamou Playboys), and CC Adcock's rockin' blues guitar. Both of the latter are young performers who are fusing the various styles of Louisiana music and helping to carry it to new levels. The name of the group and its eponymous record is an homage as well, to Eddie Schuler's Gold Band studio and record label in Lake Charles, La., which produced its first recordings in 1944. But this is a solid gold band of musicians in its own right, and they have produced a sterling collection of songs both old and (relatively) new. From the opening track, "Shirley" to the high-octane boogie of "Let's Do the Cajun Twist," this record pays tribute to and updates that hardy brand of rock 'n' roll known as swamp pop. Even the recording technique mimics those used in the early days of the genre, giving it a big, echo-laden sound as though the microphone was in a barrel -- but without the muddiness of those old 45s. The disc has a spontaneous, live feel to it, and is permeated by a spirit of celebration. Li'l Band o' Gold reflects the glory of swamp pop without making any of the easy or obvious song choices, with the possible exception of "...Cajun Twist," which was a big regional hit in 1962 for Randy and the Rockets. "Shirley" was written by John Fred, a swamp-popper who had a huge hit in the winter of 1968 with "Judy in Disguise (With Glasses)." "Please Mr. Sandman" was penned by Cajun and swamp pop pioneer Huey P. Meaux. "Parlez Nous a Boire" is a Cajun classic by Dewey Balfa, and "Allons Rock N Roll" an old classic by Lawrence Walker, a Cajun accordionist who also wrote "Mamou Two-Step," on which Warren Storm based his 1980s swamp pop hit "A-2-Fay." The call and response of "Seven Nights to Rock" sounds like it's right out of Bill Haley's songbook. Also included is a cover of Ben E. King's "Seven Letters," CC Adcock's wrenching ballad "In Another Time," and "That Feel," by Tom Waits and Keith Richards, which appeared on Waits' 1992 album Bone Machine. Complementing the vocals, accordion and guitar is the horn section of Dickie Landry, David Greely and Pat Breaux, and a solid rhythm section. Unfortunately, the liner notes are skimpy (I had to get the information on who played what from other sources) and marred by typos. And the cover art, a black-and-white closeup photo of a woman's heavily lipsticked mouth holding a gold band between the upper lip and lower incisors, is downright ugly. (There is one clever touch in the tri-fold booklet. The track names and times appear as part of an appa |
