J.J. Caillier & the Zydeco Knockouts, I Can Give You What You Want (Caillier Records)

JJ Callier and the Zydeco Knockouts, I Can Give You What You Want, album cover

On his seventh album, J.J. Caillier demonstrates how he is a master of developing an idea into a densely layered track that oftentimes feels like a night in the club. While that’s a familiar theme amongst modern zydeco artists, somehow Caillier makes it feel interactive and real with vivid imagery, especially on “Rock the House,” with its beefy beats and ear-shrieking parade whistles. Here, he has ’em all gyrating on a dimly lit dance floor to sans-accordion R&B and rock tunes before turning it up with zydeco, as if to say zydeco trumps all. Undoubtedly, “Feelin’ Good” is the most infectious clubber of all, as Caillier and swing-out sensation Tucka guzzle more than their fair share of top-shelf booze. The imagery continues with “J.J. Caillier Baby,” where the band’s onstage proclaiming good times for all. In “Lookin’ for Her,” a foxy woman eludes a desperate suitor through a sea of thrusting, dancing bodies.

Additionally, Caillier knows how to aim a tune at a certain demographic and hit it, such as ’90s old-schoolers (“I’m All Alone,” “My Lil’ Woman”) and the ladies with the velvety R&B title track. Yet, the most ingenious ploy here is the rendition of Brooks and Dunn’s “Neon Moon” that penetrates the Creole trail-ride circuit since trail riders listen to both contemporary country and zydeco. With Caillier’s latest, the evolution continues.