Formerly of the Lake Charles-based Lakeside Gamblers Cajun-folk trio, Ganey Arsement steps out here with a 15-track (nine original) affair that’s the best composite sketch of his musical persona to date. His Cajun identity will never be compromised, which is evident on several tracks, including the blazing “Petite ou la grosse” and the graceful “Pistache à Tante Nana.” Arsement also reveals a little of his family’s musical heritage by performing his zealous version of great-grandfather Andrew Doucet’s “Le Forgeron” and closes out the proceedings with Doucet’s original recording from 1972.

Yet, with its genre-hopping beyond traditional Cajun, some might consider Le Forgeron to be all over the map—but that’s really a testament to Arsement’s versatility. There’s zydeco with “John Dale’s Zydeco” and raw French blues in “La vérité,” which starts with Arsement’s string-snapping guitar, then incorporates sax and keys into the arrangement. Moon Mullican’s “Old Pipeliner” also isn’t Cajun but might as well be, with Arsement’s rollicking accordion that fuels a torrid jam clocking in at 5:42. “In My Arms” is probably the most novel tune—contemporary country with verses sung in English and the chorus in French that tell the touching story of Arsement’s grandparents.

Arsement sings with howling gutbucket pipes perfect for the nod to Leadbelly with “In the Pines” and his own autobiographical “Small town.” But unlike the prevailing blacksmith concept, Arsement never has to apply force to make his music work; it just falls into place naturally.