The Moonshiners have built a reputation as one of New Orleans’ most capable—and unpredictable—trad groups. The group’s third album witnesses a tempering of their more offbeat tendencies, but loses none of their ensemble cohesion. Chris Edmunds’ rhythmically aggressive approach to the banjo remains a staple of the Moonshiners’ sound, as do his gritty-with-a-southern-twang vocal stylings. Edmunds contributes his usual lively chord-melody solos as well as six original compositions. Among them is the title track, which incorporates second line-style percussion and guest appearances from Aaron Paulin and Jon Gross on bass drum and sousaphone, respectively.

Vocalist Sarah Quintana’s two guest numbers from last year’s I’m Coming Home—“Baby Face” and “I’m Confessin’”—were definite highlights. She returns on Frenchmen Street Parade, and her performances, with a tasteful vibrato and intimate, conversational musicality, again place her tracks among the standouts. Quintana’s style comes across with particular power in the studio. It’s a shame she doesn’t record more often.

The lineup has been shaken up since the last Moonshiners outing. Ronell Johnson replaces Charlie Halloran on the trombone, while Bruce Brackman of the Cottonmouth Kings replaces Teppei Tada on clarinet. The most conspicuous absence is Aurora Nealand’s saxophone. The presence of a non-standard instrument in the trad setting forced some extra ingenuity into the Moonshiners’ arrangements.