It’s been seven years since Nathan & the Zydeco Cha Chas’ last album, Hang It High, Hang It Low, a startling fact that even surprises accordionist Nathan Williams. It’s also the group’s first studio record not released by Rounder Records, the imprint of eight previous albums, but nothing here will make anyone yearn for any alleged glory days. Instead, Nathan makes it all count here: eight well-crafted originals, two sung in Creole French, and three well-chosen covers such as the whirling waltz transformation of Ray Charles’ “I Can’t Stop Loving You” and the rollicking rendition of Jim Croce’s ’70s pop hit “Leroy Brown.”

The group is still able to create infectious originals that are in the league of such legacy chestnuts “Your Mama Don’t Know” and “Let’s Go.” On “Lookin’ For What You’re Lookin’ For,” brother Dennis Paul Williams creates a catchy ringing sound against his guitar strings every eight beats or so. “Still Alive” is the disc’s centerfold concept where Nathan silences those critics who say he’s not in game; the prolific tunesmith is just at home writing songs. Additionally, he’s also a cunning marketing strategist, tossing in a bluesy, slinky zydeco Christmas song in a genre not known for holiday music. Co-producer/ son Nathan Jr. adds killer jazzy keys to the arrangement.

Though Nathan has forged his own stamp on zydeco over time, he never forgets his fallen heroes and contemporaries and honors them on “Bon Amis.” What distinguishes this version of Clifton Chenier’s tearful “I’m Coming Home” is Nathan Jr.’s soft, gliding chords that allow plenty of space for inspired soloing. If it’s another seven years before Nathan releases another album, this one will pass the test of time just fine.