Leroy Thomas and the Zydeco Road Runners, You Got Me! (Independent)


With six albums in seven years, you would think that by now Leroy Thomas would be running on fumes. But as evidenced here, he continues to deliver rough-edged, hardcore zydeco with a propulsive attack. Several songs are pure, straight-up, in-your-face zydeco like the title song, “You Got Me!” and “Oooh Baby.” “Don’t Get Mad At Me” features some blistering jamming between accordionist Thomas and guitarist Stan Chambers, who provides many a searing lick throughout the proceedings. A few songs have subtle, yet unexpected finishing touches such as Chambers’ jazzy soloing on Clifton Chenier’s “You Used To Call Me.” A rendition of Jeff Beck’s “Come Dancin’” comes as a total surprise—an accordion-less, instrumental funky soul strutter that weaves a groove of its own. Thomas’ vocals have never sounded better since he recently overcame the gravelly effects of acid reflux. Yet, the disc’s best moments occur when belts out some great gutbucket blues in the tradition of zydeco stalwart Chenier. In the case of “Days of My Life,” the story is all true—failed marriages, lost assets. With Thomas, nothing ever gets held back.