ALBUM REVIEWS - UN TIT GOUT

New Orleans, LA, Dan Willging, July 2003 Lost Bayou Ramblers - Un 'Tit Gout - Independent The seeds of the Cajun Renaissance are now bearing seeds of their own with no signs of a drought in sight. The Lafayette-based Lost Bayou Ramblers, a quintet led by brothers Louis and André Michot who cut their teeth in their father/uncles' Les Frères Michot band, are one of the latest such sproutings. Perhaps more so than that renowned spawning band, LBR takes the music to its taproot core that could be alternatively thought of as late 19th-century Cajun funk music. They're a distinct bunch, not at all like today's oft-preferred dancehall purveyors but closer to the archaic, vintage sounds of the music's forefathers. Louis fiddles with a rootsy raw, old-timey Creole-esque edge while crooning in a yelping voice that would easily cut across the din of a crowd in the music's pre-amplification days. Similar to his individualistic approach, upright drummer Chris Courville propels the beat using a Lawrence Walker style set-up of a small snare mounted atop of a bass drum. Their song selection stems from all corners as well, from the rousing rendition of Walker's "Happy Hop" and Leo Soileau's "Criminelle," to Dennis McGee's "Chameaux 1 Step" and Nathan Abshire's "French Blues." While they give a nod to the icons before them, the good news is that they're not shy about a little mature experimentation. On "J'etais au Bal," LBR detours with a Middle Eastern bent before whipping back to the melody; the funky zydeco standard "O Bye" is rendered twin fiddle style sans accordion. Toss in the three quality originals heard here ("Moi J'Connais pas," "Mexique 2 step," "Rainy Stomp") and Un Tit Gout isn't just an offering of a little taste but enough to crave second helpings. And that's after you've had dessert.

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