Hey! Lisa wants you to dance, so get up and dance! And if you're not partying in The Big Easy, then party to 'King Cake' while you're doing the household chores, 'cos it's great for that, too. Go on! Sing along with Lisa as she gets to the chorus, that'll clear the cobwebs out! Lisa Haley's a zydeco evangelist but she plays music that borrows from other areas ('blending our Swamp/Zydeco with the timeless sounds of Americana', as she puts it).
Consequently, if you've never found a way into Zydeco music, then Lisa's the woman to guide you along. A dozen or so songs, dating from the last dozen years, cover a fairly wide field, and the sleeve gives you notes (or 'song stories') about each one, which is better than just having the lyrics for helping you understand where the music's coming from. Welcoming Americana on board offers license for a wide range of stylings, so it's no particular surprise to hear uillean pipes ( and a suspiciously Oirish vocal from Lisa) on 'Always Be Your Guide', one of the slower numbers in the mix to let you catch your breath between wild dance songs.
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From the opener 'King Cake', a barn-storming, foot-stomping crowd loosener, through 'Zydecosis' ('all you can do is dance - till the symptons pass') to 'Don't You Tell Your Mother', a jolly and softer-edged dance to close with, the emphasis is on having a good time and with an energetic, sharp band behind her and a fair old army of guest singers and musicians, 'King Cake' pretty much sounds like a party in progress. Lisa's strong vocals take the lead in whipping up a storm, her fiddle playing complements the pumping accordion sound that I'd always taken to be the essence of cajun/zydeco and the rhythm of the faster, dance numbers is irresistible.
This album was one of the Grammy nominees for 2008; understandable given it's joyful inclusiveness trhat welcomes all along to the Zydeco party.
(John Davy www.nessmp3.com/music/biscuitsandgravy)
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