Lafayette’s Walter Jr. has covered a lot of ground with his last few releases: greasy, slippery funk; raucous blues; jazz and quiet acoustic folk. But that was the secular side of him. There’s a spiritual aspect as well, which is sincere and honest without any of the heavy-handedness of over-the-top evangelical pronouncements. True to his South Louisiana roots, Walter believes in celebrating life, and that spirit of celebration roars here. Clanging R&B horns swoon to the riff of Clifton Chenier’s “Calinda” on “Christ is Calling,” and funky organs and ripping bass solos courtesy of Allman Brothers’ Oteil Burbidge raise the roof on “Halle-Hallelujah.”

Walter Jr. approaches his dogma from different angles, either through personal reflections, occasionally quoting scriptures, or even reenacting a sinner being healed (“At That Very Moment”)—magnificently portrayed by Bonnie Bramlett. A river baptism and a dying breath symbolically bookend the proceedings, and in between there’s plenty of Walter’s soul-ish, syncopated singing and chunky guitar solos. Subtle yet powerful equals inspired.