It’s nice to know some things never change in this constantly evolving world where technology seemingly moves faster than the speed of light. After 37 years in in the music business, elder statesman Nathan Williams still holds true to the first-generation zydeco he came up with that is heavily rooted in his accordion protégé, Buckwheat Zydeco, and founding father Clifton Chenier.

For his eighth studio album—the first recorded in his professionally built Cha Cha Studio— Williams wrote 10 of the 11 tracks, with the exception being the rollicking rendition of “Whole Lotta Shakin’ Goin’ On,” made famous by rock ’n’ roll’s first wildman, Jerry Lee Lewis.

Williams touches every idiom of zydeco imaginable, from a time-honored waltz (“Louisiana Man”) to bluesy numbers (“Mama’s Love”) to R&B-tinged chestnuts (“Diggin’ on Me”) to bouncy stuff dressed with Chenier-recalling licks (“Nathan Williams in Town”). “Big Red Dogg” is built on a jaunty shuffle that’s long been a trademark of the Cha Chas’ sound: a formidable, unfaltering rhythm section.

Williams’ songwriting is largely based on his life experiences and if you listen to it enough, you’ll get a sense of who he is and what’s important to him, like his long-term marriage and reverence for his mother. “Cassé la paille” is another example from Nathan’s life: a break-up song where the frustrated protagonist exits a relationship after doing everything possible to make it work.

The last two songs are the best of the platter and close the proceedings in fine fashion. The infectious “Goin’ Back” finds the Cha Chas blazing fearlessly ahead with an unstoppable groove. Nathan affects this comical froggy voice, rumbling about the virtues of his home state of Louisiana. The instrumental “Zydeco Swing” swings so crazy, it sounds like it could have come out of the Chenier songbook.

Interestingly, Williams’ youngest son, the talented Naylan, played the lion’s share of the instruments—drums, keyboards, bass, rubboard and other percussion—while older brother Nathan Jr. also played some keyboards. Like the Cha Chas’ live sound, the studio rhythm section is airtight but the riveting guitar playing by Nathan’s brother Dennis Paul Williams isn’t as prominent here as it is in the live show. Still, there won’t be any argument that Nathan & The Zydeco Cha Chas continue to uphold tradition while adding it to with original material and skillful musicianship in its own signature way.