Jamie Bergeron and the Kickin’ Cajuns were recently voted Times of Acadiana’s Best Cajun Band for the 13th straight year, amazing considering that the band probably plays the widest variety of tunes around—in addition to Cajun. Though the insane “Check Liver Light” is another party breakout anthem in the accustomed Bergeron fashion, his seventh collaboration with co-producer Rick Lagneaux finds him succeeding as a sincere, convincing vocalist.

The zydecajun-flavored title track captures a protagonist’s burning desire to reunite with a beloved. The Cajun-French–sung “T Habitude del Ma Belle” is built upon a touching arrangement of glistening fiddles, soft, rolling piano chords and Bergeron’s poignant accordion playing. Van Morrison’s “Someone Like You” is similarly tender.

But what makes a Bergeron outing fun is the unexpected, sometimes surprising mix of tunes, like JD McPherson’s malt shop hip “North Side Gal” and the staunchly done Cajun waltz “La Valse a Tolan” that should please any discerning CFMA guardian. There’s zydeco as well: Buckwheat’s “Hard to Stop,” and Bergeron’s own “My Woman Loves to Zydeco.”

Even though Bergeron inches towards more serious material, he can still cut up. On “All Them Curves,” he follows up with “and me with no brakes.” He may do things his way but never while riding the brakes.