The Pine Leaf Boys have gone through a few changes since last year’s Grammy-nominated Blues De Musicien. Fiddler Cedric Watson left to pursue his own music, which resulted in the Grammy-nominated Cedric Watson, and bassist Blake Miller went back to school. They’ve been replaced by Courtney Granger and Thomas David respectively, and the only obvious effect on the new Homage au Passé is that the contrast between Watson and Wilson Savoy’s vocals was more pronounced than the one between those of Savoy and drummer Drew Simon. That’s not a bad thing, but without careful scrutiny, it often seems like the album reflects one voice.

The band has also moved from Arhoolie Records to Lionsgate Entertainment, which seems to see the band as the Cajun band with some crossover potential. A song from the band appeared in the Lionsgate film The Lucky Ones, and to release the album in time for Grammy consideration, it has so far been sold exclusively through iTunes and eMusic—a far more common way to release pop and rock than roots music (a physical release is scheduled for February, to coincide with the Grammys, I suppose).

To the band’s credit, the only place you can hear any interest in a broader audience is in the production, which rolls off some of the screechy highs that we’ve become used to in fiddles, accordions and some singers. It’s easier in this context to hear the similarities between Cajun and country melodies, most obviously on “La Delaysay.” Otherwise, Homage au Passé sounds like a band tightening its focus and hitting exactly what it wants every time.

It’s a self-conscious presentation of a vision of Cajun music that’s firmly rooted in the past but played by young men today who can’t help but be affected by the rest of the music in their world. It isn’t rock ’n’ roll, but it rocks, and whether they’re playing a two-step or a waltz, they play it with rock ’n’ roll attitude.

That doesn’t mean they play it fast or sloppy; it means they play it as if they thought of it, which may just be another way of saying they take ownership of any music they touch. Which might be why despite its limited release, this album’s nominated for a Grammy as well.