Here’s another helping of bayou soul from the current reigning king of swamp pop, Peirre Part’s Don Rich. Rich’s ninth CD doesn’t differ much from his previous efforts, but then why should it? If it ain’t broke, why fix it? Oddly, the title track is one of the weaker performances here. The song’s a little too sappy and Rich tries a little too hard to sell it. He gets back in the saddle with the snappy “Didn’t Want To Do It” and builds up a head of steam on “Don’t Let The Green Grass Fool You.”

Upon listening to the slow burner, “Last Thing On My Mind,” I thought that there was no way Rich could surpass such majesty. That was until I was confronted with the simple genius of “Hey Maria.” Featuring a delightful, rambling conjunto accordion, Rich takes a page out of the Los Lobos/Richie Valens songbook. This is some boss stuff. No Don Rich CD is without at least one Stax/Volt cover, but Rich’s go at “Soul Man,” while true, is inappropriate (How the hell are you going to beat Sam & Dave’s original?) The most pure/traditional swamp pop item here is “After Loving You” which is on the mark. I’ve said it before, but I’ll say it again. This guy is going to get the right song one day and he’s going to be a big name in country music. Book it.