Anyway you look at it, there’s only one conclusion when it comes to Nathan & the Zydeco Cha Chas: they are still one of zydeco’s premier bands, raising the bar every chance possible. There are no disappointments on their best effort to date — their first recording in five years and eighth overall. Accordionist/frontman Nathan Williams slowly cooks his tunes until they’re good and tasty, not rushing half-baked concoctions, then garnishes them with meaty arrangements and thoughtful lyrics. Kicking off with the frenetic “Old Man’s Darling,” there are soulful struts, bluesy swaggers and rollicking tunes that’ll likely cause the dancing urge to surge. The disc’s last half is particularly infectious, a strand of pearls beginning with “Do It Now” and rolling through the finale “So Glad You’re Mine.” Track after track, Nathan spirals up and down the scales effortlessly on the piano-note accordion. Yet it’s more than just a dance trance. Williams’ lyrics reveal an appreciation for life in general (“Think About the Good Times”). The slow grooving “Don’t Worry ‘Bout The Mule” provides insight about the grueling life of cutting sugarcane and the necessity of having a dependable mule. As of this writing, it’s only springtime but already 2006 has met one of its best records.