Yvette Landry & The Jukes: “Louisiana Lovin’” (2018) CD Review

If you need some escape from the troubles of the present, from the god-awful sounds coming from your television whenever Russia’s puppet opens his fetid and foul hole, from that shifty-eyed garble-mouthed monster who lies to the White House press corps every day, from the anger and the depression that have settled over our nation like a heavy dung-stained Confederate flag… Well, Yvette Landry & The Jukes have the perfect album for you. Louisiana Lovin’ is a delightful trip back to some early country, rock and roll and blues music, an album of covers, focusing on material written by folks who were born in Louisiana. Songs you know, songs you love, and delivered with a joy and an energy that make them breathe and dance anew. The band for this for this release was put together by Yvette Landry and Roddie Romero, both of whom play guitar and sing on the album. Jermaine Prejean is on drums, Eric Adcock is keys, Josef Butts is on bass, and Derek Huston is on saxophone. Joining them are special guests Beau Thomas on fiddle and Richard Comeaux on pedal steel. This is a disc that will give us at least a momentary respite from the madness and stupidity that have enveloped our country.

Yvette Landry kicks off the album with “I Need Somebody Bad,” a song written by Ben Peters, a song that was a hit for Jack Greene. I think this new rendition is better. It has that classic country sound, in her vocal approach and in the music, but there is also a fun early rock and roll element, making this a livelier take. Hell, we even get the sax coming in halfway through. Is there anything better than this kind of music? “Yeah, Lord, I need somebody bad tonight/It’s hurting more than I believed it would/Yeah, Lord, I need somebody bad tonight/’Cause I just lost somebody good.” That’s followed by “Homesick Blues,” written by Robert Charles Guidry (Bobby Charles), and performed here as a gorgeous bluesy duet. I love the use of fiddle here, an instrument that expresses sadness so well. “Monday morning I get up and go to work/Guess what’s on my mind.”

“Daddy Daddy” is a fun tune written by Rudy Toombs, and recorded by Ruth Brown. It’s a song that provides opportunity from some vocal play, and Yvette Landry does an absolutely wonderful job with it. This version features some delicious work on keys. Roddie Romero then takes lead vocal duties on a really good rendition of “Kiss Tomorrow Goodbye.” “Today I saw you, you were kissing my best friend/Now you can kiss tomorrow goodbye.” I know in those lines he is saying that their wedding is off, but it always seems to me that maybe he is going to kill her, that she has no tomorrow at all. Halfway through, Yvette Landry then takes over on vocals, which is interesting. “Of all the loves I’ve ever known/Baby, I loved you best,” she sings. Getting the woman’s perspective certainly changes the feel of the song. I like this rendition a lot. But the track that follows it I absolutely love. “I Almost Lost My Mind” was written by Ivory Joe Hunter, who was not born in Louisiana. But it was recorded by both Fats Domino and Cookie And The Cupcakes, so there you have it. This version by Yvette Landry & The Jukes is just perfect, with excellent vocals, some cool work on keys and wonderful touches on saxophone.

“Three Chords And The Truth” was written by Sara Evans, Ron Harbin and Aimee Mayo, and originally recorded by Sara Evans. Evans is not from Louisiana, but it doesn’t really matter, as this track is absolutely gorgeous, and features a fantastic and moving vocal performance by Yvette Landry. That’s followed by “My Last Date With You,” a pretty song with some nice work on keys. We then get to some more Bobby Charles songs, starting with “Grow Too Old,” which he co-wrote with Fats Domino. Roddie Romero sings lead on this one, and it’s a wonderful and enjoyable rendition. That’s followed by “Yea Yea Baby,” which is ridiculously fun. Roddie and Yvette take turns singing lead, the other delivering some adorable backing vocals. Roddie Romero sings lead on “Forbidden Love,” a song written by David Egan, and featuring some nice work on guitar. “I see you look away/Afraid of where your heart may lead.” The album then concludes with another Bobby Charles song, “Take It Easy Greasy,” a fun, fast-paced rock and roll gem to get you off your seat and make you think the world is a gas. And maybe it is.

CD Track List

1. I Need Somebody Bad
2. Homesick Blues
3. Daddy Daddy
4. Kiss Tomorrow Goodbye
5. I Almost Lost My Mind
6. Three Chords And The Truth
7. My Last Date With You
8. Grow Too Old
9. Yea Yeah Baby
10. Forbidden Love
11. Take It Easy Greasy 

Louisiana Lovin’ is scheduled to be released on July 27, 2018.