Jivin’ Gene was one of the original swamp poppers, having made a regional splash on his very first single, “Going Out with the Tide,” in 1958. A year later, he cracked the Top 100 nationally with “Breaking Up is Hard to Do” (not to be confused with Neil Sedaka’s song of the same name) which enjoyed a four-week run at number 69. He never equaled that feat, instead recording for a slew of labels—Chess, Mercury, Capital, Hall and Hallway—before hanging it up in 1966.

Forty-three years later, the 69-year-old Southeast Texas crooner still has the pipes, probably as a result of not having to strain his vocal chords night-in and night-out. These proceedings won’t spawn any national hits, nonetheless It’s Never Too Late is a splendid swamp pop album chock full of tripletting laments, twisty rock ’n’ rollers and slow, bluesy groovers. A number of Gene’s early songs are reprised here with wrinkle-free botox treatment including “Up, Up and Away,” the flip side of his first single, and the delightful rhythmic tongue twister “Genie Bom Beanie.” The crack studio band that includes drummer Warren Storm and saxman Rick Folse makes the arrangements sound classic. It’s your papa’s swamp pop all over again, and this time it feels so darned comfy.