It's happened on three straight occasions, so this needs to be mentioned: when Michael Doucet's crawfish-clawing vocals snap through the accordion-stomping "One-Step De Chameau", my female cat gets right up against my speakers and looks into them like she's just spotted her favorite Whiskas cat treats. The Savoy-Doucet Cajun Band specialize in producing such moments -- not specifically cat-related, of course, but they want you to stop and think. They're far more than merely the best traditional Cajun band you'll ever likely hear; they glorify the grand history of Cajun music, and make you hungry for all of it. You'll grow eager to work your way through every record in the Arhoolie collection, seeking another sweet, spicy, homespun treat like this one.

Ann Savoy, wife of Marc, is the Band's primary singer. Her voice is very appealing, on par with the McGarrigle sisters at capturing authentic, true-to-life moments. In the liner notes, the band explains that her role is like that of the Kingston Trio's Dave Guard -- she's the person who finds all the cool old songs -- while her husband is the musical genius who keeps the music timeless through unexpected juxtapositions and sounds that you're surprised even exist. Fiddle strings catch flame upon a charcoal-burning grill, and a cloud of hamburger smoke is all that Savoy's accordion produces during an otherwise tender lament ("She Made Me Lose My Mind").

Whereas many of the Smithsonian Folkways records sound like history lessons (albeit good ones), this is yet another Arhoolie release that goes beyond an appreciation of an earlier culture. It is the party from the past that your present has felt empty without.