Prodigal, hell—don’t be bothered by the liner notes to this CD when they say, “If you’re seeking an album of Louisiana, we suggest you look elsewhere.” Landreth, the Acadian slide wizard from Mississippi who’s played with everyone from John Mayall to Clifton Chenier, is not about to head for the big-city lights. Not when he has as much fun as he’s obviously having on these recently unearthed tracks, his first solo work, done in everyone’s favorite decade, the ’70s.

Originally issued on the indie Crazy Cajun label (for all I know, Landreth’s own), these 15 tracks are as light as a breeze. Seldom has there been a blues album that pandered less to its audience—this is just Sonny having the time of his life, and if the earliest tracks in particular are a bit thin, well, like Sonny’s voice, it’s all part of the charm. Tearing it up with his Delta-with-wheels leads (more soulful and less twangy than that of a peer like, say, Ry Cooder), Landreth dances all over a heady mix of originals and well-chosen covers.

There’s definitely a bit of Acadiana in the vocals on songs like “Good Enough For Me,” but Sonny’s blues get stronger as the CD moves on; there’s less electric chooglin’ like the deliciously off-kilter “The Only One” and more downhome acoustic grit like “Lazy Boy” and “Country Blues.” The title track tells the whole story. Landreth takes Rev. Robert Wilkins’ original tale of regret and makes it sound like the road trip of a lifetime, as if Sonny was saying that it was the stay-at-home brother who got the raw deal. Notice, though: They always come home in the end.