Seth Guidry & Louisiana Nights, Les Larmes Dans Tes Yeux-The Tears in Your Eyes (Acadiana Records)


It’s not often that a record label concurrently releases two discs from debuting Cajun squadrons, David Fontenot & Cajun Express and Seth Guidry & Louisiana Nights, as Acadiana Records recently did. That in itself may be the end of a recording draught, much like the sunny outlook 16-year-old accordionist Seth Guidry provides for the near-term future of Cajun music. The Arnaudville ace has been playing since the age of eight, cutting his teeth with the likes of Damon Troy, Helene Boudreaux and Jason Bergeron. When it was time to step out, Guidry had no trouble enlisting supportive, seasoned journeymen three-to-four times his senior. Together they supply a blasting energy spearheaded by Guidry’s driving accordion and Mervin Benoit’s swirling steel stylings. They roast “Les Flammes D’enfer,” swing “Lucille” and run the wheels off of “Hicks Wagon Wheel.” Guidry cooly handles the lion’s share of the vocals and even wrote the touching title track. Bassist SJ Thibodeaux penned four more, totally connecting with the Cajun heartbeat with “Qui Va Me Soigne” (the proverbial mama song) and the outstanding “Garder La Dernier Danse Pour Moi” that’s been known to bring a tear to dry eyes. Strong stuff to the last drop.