Nine years between releases can be a death sentence to any zydeco band engaged in its unending battle to retain, if not enlarge, its market share. But as evidenced by this self-explanatory titled release, it’s been that long since the House Rockers’ last effort, Zydeco Three Way, that was a smoker of a tribute to the king of zydeco Clifton Chenier and genius songsmith Rockin’ Sidney. Despite the huge gap between releases, Malcolm makes up for lost time with some of the most torrid, relentlessly pounding zydeco heard in recent memory. Besides pumping a blistering piano-note accordion, he frequently jumps on the B3 for a series of jamming, chord-screaming rides that are closer to the whirling Leslies of Papa Grows Funk and Medeski, Martin and Wood than anything zydeco. On some tunes you’ll detect another innovative touch: a call-and-response interplay between the B3 and the accordion. Then again, two songs recall the early days of Chenier and rubboard-scraping brother Cleveland when they busked outside a Port Arthur, Texas refinery after working their shift. Not only is this Lil Malcolm’s best effort to date, it’s also MTE Records best zydeco record since Leon Sam cut Leon’s Boogie in 1996.