Le Fou translates as “the crazyman,” but it’s also the French name for the Northern Gannet, a seabird that migrates between Quebec and Louisiana. When Deepwater Horizon coated the Gulf Coast in 2010, the bird was the first to be captured and cleaned. An appropriate title for Zachary Richard’s new album, though there’s little chance we’ll find him in captivity or sanitized anytime soon.

Richard’s melding of Cajun rhythms and a rocker’s sense of drama creates a pop-ish sound here, whether on the fierce“Laisse le vent souffler (Let the wind blow)” or the sweet “Lolly Lo.” Sonny Landreth’s guitar remains vital. I don’t speak French,so my understanding of the songs focuses on bits of English choruses, the lyrical quality of Richard’s vocals and the quality of the harmonies. In each case, Le Fou finds him bold as ever.

His version of the classic “Beede la manche” burns, while“Orignal ou caribou” feels like a desperate cry. Louisiana’s past and present continue to fire Richard’s imagination. Migrating birds, Jean Saint Malo, traditional zydeco,and the imperiled environment—these are his subjects, presented with suitable sturm und drang, and an appreciated defiance.