Alright By Me, Alright Bayou
El Lagarto | Sandown, NH | 12/03/2006
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Imagine that you and your pet alligator are going for a moonlit stroll through the Louisiana bayou. Peeking out from behind a bald cypress is a rickety shack leaning on its foundation, or is it rocking? Oozing out of every crack is the sound of Zydeco, that uniquely American musical melange at once primitive, nuanced, and irresistibly infectious. You and your reptilian companion approach and open the door. Inside is a real old-fashioned throwdown and the Bluerunners man the bandstand.
Honey Slides, the third Bluerunners release, will delight purists and rockers alike. This outfit manages to seamlessly blend absolute authenticity with a hip, contemporary sensibility; nice trick! Few new releases list fiddle, mandolin, accordion, national guitar, lap steel guitar, rubboard, and triangle in their credits, as this one does, along with more familiar instruments. While this Cajun roux will have you reaching for the crawdaddy bowl, it never once sounds like a caricature, or an exploitation. It is merely what happened when Zydeco met the new millennium.
Nearly all tracks are original, which is where you find the most pleasant surprise of all - consistently excellent writing. Mark Meaux and company have located that magic point in song lyrics, originality, poetry, content, and deceptive simplicity. This is the kind of quality and depth one rarely encounters. Not one bad track to be found, but special notice must be given to Working Man's Zydeco, The Gravedigger, Mardis Gras Jig, Voodoo Mens and Voodoo Dolls, and the undeniable Black Cat Bone. The closer, Big Head, vividly demonstrates the intelligence and heart of this group, and Meaux's exceptional song-writing ability. Definitely worth running down this one."
Delectable blend of rock and blues seasoning with a definite
K. Normand | Lafayette, LA - The Heart of Cajun Country | 10/03/2005
(5 out of 5 stars)
"This is 21st century South Louisiana at its best! The Bluerunners have already established themselves as the masters of Cajun-Rock blend, and this album will only solidify that title.
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