Bluerunners, Live at the Triple Door (Independent)


Usually when a band has been around for close to two decades, there’s at least one live album popping up in their discography. A live recording was never on the Bluerunners’ radar until they played Seattle’s swanky Triple Door and the good folks there offered to record the show. If you’re familiar with the Cajun roots rockers’ recorded output, there are no surprises here other than the “new,” scintillating versions of Clifton Chenier’s “Louisiana 2-Step” and “Shake It Don’t Break It.” But what is emphasized is the breadth of styles (Americana, rock, Cajun, zydeco, blues) that are innately fused into their sonic signature as well as the career-spanning catalogue of songs that have had such staying power. Rendered live, everything sounds astoundingly fresh as if it was just concocted yesterday. There’s a lot to appreciate here, whether it’s the telepathic jamming between guitarist Mark Meaux and steel guitarist Will Golden, a Meaux-penned line (“Most of my days I spend trying to make things rhyme”) or how their reverence for Chenier zydeco is a cornerstone of their rocking sound. The last several tracks (“Zordico,” “Bluco”) especially go on a hell-bent tear. If you think this is a fan-only record, think again.