Super Vilaine

On their debut EP, Super Vilaine, the New Orleans septet Sweet Crude fuse Cajun and zydeco sounds with unlikely indie rock elements. There’s a freewheeling quality to the band’s music, taking them far afield from traditional sources. Shifting between French and English, lead vocalists Alexis Marceaux and Sam Craft (who also plays a mean fiddle) help move the group beyond the expected party grooves into quirkier, more introspective zones. The music is supple, lively, and (surprisingly) guitar-less, anchored by the nuanced and always in-the-pocket rhythms of drummers John Arceneaux and Marion Tortorich. Moments on Super Vilaine recall the kinetic ensemble playing of Dexy’s Midnight Runners and The Dave Matthews Band, as well as the work of fellow Louisianans like Beausoleil. Tracks like “Hornets’ Nest” and the title number ride simmering rhythms while adding keyboard embellishments and deft vocal harmonies. More Gallicized are the hard-stomping “Parlez-Nous a Boire,” the saucy “One in the Hand,” and the rollicking, piano-centered “Little Darling.”