One of the things making music in New Orleans interesting at this point in time is the ways that musicians are adapting pop music to their own ends. From Sweet Crude’s forceful percussion to the Night Janitor’s tweaked-and-looped songs, innovation is rampant. And this is true of cities further west, such as Lafayette and Baton Rouge, where Minos the Saint hails from.

Minos The band characterizes itself as “chamber folk” and that is an apt description. Minos the Saint has piano, guitar, violin, accordion, trombone, and percussion, but you would not confuse them for either Woody Guthrie or Mumford and Sons. They are rootsy, but never ragged. Their sound is polished. They have the tight arrangements of chamber music juxtaposed with the clean sound of jazz and the acoustic instruments of folk music, but with a pop sheen.

Singer and songwriter Peter Simon has a voice that is wistful and wailing as if he is filling a large space with his melodies. On songs like “Dream,” they have a sound reminiscent of Joe Jackson’s ’80s recordings but more minimal.

There is not a lot of superfluous sound on this recording. Other songs like “Just Like New York” have a ’70s Van Morrison/The Band feel with tinkling piano chords and single note runs, light drums, and vocals that riff over the arrangements. This record is a fine effort for this quartet and it makes the listener want to hear the band live and see them stretch out on these tunes.