C.J. Chenier
C.J. Chenier appears as part of the Accordion Music Festival on Saturday, June 3, at Miller Outdoor Theatre, 100 Concert Drive, 713-284-8350
Don't look now, but C.J. Chenier just might be shaping up into zydeco's answer to late-period Johnny Cash. The title track of his sophisticated, mournful new CD, The Desperate Kingdom of Love, is an amazingly fleshed out cover of what was once a nearly hidden song from P.J. Harvey's underappreciated 2004 Uh Huh Her album. However, far from some Rubin-esque hipster cash-in (uhhh, sorry), the track stands as a steadfast acknowledgement of pain and a statement of resolve in the face of devastation (Chenier's Port Arthur home was brutally slammed last hurricane season). As the Tarbox Ramblers rumble majestically beneath Chenier, he intones Harvey's stoic lament with impeccable, understated soul: "At the end of this burning world / You'll stand proud, face upheld / And I'll follow you, into heaven or hell." The rest of the disc is considerably more upbeat, including covers of songs by Hank Williams Sr. and Van Morrison, but there's no mistaking that this is an artist in the process of reinventing himself.
Now Trending
-
Voice Places
Find everything you're looking for in your city
-
Happy Hour App
Find the best happy hour deals in your city
-
Daily Deals
Get today's exclusive deals at savings of anywhere from 50-90%
-
Best Of...
Check out the hottest list of places and things to do around your city
- Profile
- Newsletters
- Mobile
- Logout