Apres Faire Le Boogie Woogie is the latest album from the Magnolia Sisters, one of the few all-women bands in the admittedly rather small world of Cajun music (their last album was 2000's Chers Amis). Cajun music isn't something that normally burns its way to the top of the charts; like folk music, bluegrass, and those types of things, it generally only sees widespread attention when something else spurs mainstream interest (like the interest "old time" music saw when Oh Brother Where Art Thou became so popular). I'm not exactly certain why (or when) I first listened to Cajun music, but over the years I've found it to be a fun change of pace from much of mainstream music, and this album is no exception.
Featuring An Savoy, Jane Vidrine, Anya Schoenegge and Lisa reed (with guest performances by Chirstine Balfa and Sarah Savoy), this "boogie woogie" album offers an intriguing mix of Cajun-style "dance" tunes and reflective ballads (admittedly, they're sung in French, which makes them both difficult to understand if you don't speak the language, but also adds a pleasant lyrical quality to the songs). The final song on the album is in English, as the sisters inform some fellow to "Keep on Knocking" but he can't come in. It's a playful, cheeky tune, as are most of the other songs, although there are a couple of haunting ballads that showcase the fact that there is in fact a diversity of music within the Cajun tradition. For anyone who enjoys "roots" music, the Magnolia Sisters represent a unique voice and sound well worth hearing.
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