It's clear that the Lost Bayou Ramblers' latest disc Vermilionaire is tailored and trimmed with extras to make the Grammy-nominated band a Grammy-winning band. Put it in the right stereo, and the song titles scroll across the display. On the gatefold jacket, there's a summation of what it means to live in Louisiana's un-comfort zone between cultural and scenic beauty and the ever rising Gulf. It's tremendous traditional Cajun music with string-era touches and mind-blowing energy, both incredibly old school and progressive as well. The Michot brothers' accordion and fiddle come together so tightly that the two can't be cut apart with a scalpel. LBR may have taken extra steps to get the disc into a Grammy runoff, but it's not a record that begs to be heard. It's a record that needs to be heard. For more information, visit www.LostBayouRamblers.com. - Nick Pittman