Lost Bayou Ramblers - Asteur
Asteur is a 15-song career-spanning live set from this popular traditional Cajun band where the songs were recorded at various shows that took place in New Orleans earlier this year and in 2018. Almost half of the set is drawn from the band's 2017 Kalenda album, including the waltz "Cote Clair," the classic Cajun dance track "Granny Smith," the rhythmic "Rice Pump" and title cut "Kalenda" where the guys ladle on effects and fuzz guitar for a mix that is as psychedelic as it is swampy. "Les Mardi Gras," "Vermillion Vortex," "Tune Up" and "Tour Les Matins" are some of the other songs performed, and with all the rocking accordion, fiery fiddling and lyrics sung in French all you'll need otherwise to have yourself an authentic Cajun party is a crawfish boil. Asteur, which celebrates the band's 20th anniversary, is available as a stand-alone CD or packaged with the On Va Continuer! documentary DVD which loosely chronicles the making of Kalenda.

Zack Walther Band - The Westerner
A roots and blues music power trio of sorts, Zack Walther Band consists of namesake Zack Walther on vocals and guitar, Matthew Briggs on drums and bass and Mike Atkins on keyboards. Walther is a mainstay on the Texas scene but "What Kind of Man" is a simmering, funky stew that reflects a love for the swampy tones of New Orleans too. The cleverly-titled "I'm Going Out of Your Mind" is a sweet blues rocker done in a style that fans of Robert Cray will like while "When the Show Comes to Town" is a percolating R&B dance cut with a couple of nods to the disco era included. "Meet in the Middle" is a bouncy pop groove where Walther duets with Susan Gibson; a frenetic vocal m�lange mid-song accentuates just exactly why there needs to be a meeting in the middle. Also included is a nice take on the Isaac Hayes/David Porter-penned hit "Hold On, I'm Comin'."

The Grascals - Straighten the Curves
Now half way through their second decade of existence and here with new guitarist and singer Chris Davis in the fold, the Grascals sound better than ever on this set filled with sweet harmonies ("They Laughed"), spirited and precise pickin' ("AndiWayne") and a talent for interpretation (Eddie Rabbit's "Drivin' My Life Away".) "Who Needs You" is a remembrance of an ex that, unlike the title connotes, is not negative; in fact the song is filled with down home picking geared to getting the barn dance started. As bluegrass traditionalists go, it doesn't get much better than this.