Big Lou's Polka Casserole

After spending time with Polkacide and Those Darn Accordions, accordionist Big Lou ventured out into a solo career which has produced two albums. This, her second, combines traditional polka sensibilities with the tongue-in-cheek approach of her former colleagues. Her music lies somewhere between that of the eclectic Texas polka-rock band Brave Combo and the slick, Nashvillian sound of LynnMarie, but her preference for the Midwestern polka style prevents her from being accurately compared with any others in the pop-polka arena. Big Lou's selling point is her esoteric choice of songs coupled with her whimsical approach to playing her instrument. The instrumentals "Mountain," "Ramune," and "Nyet Nyet, Nie Chotchoo" are fine examples of Big Lou's Polka Casserole's charm and are indicative of how polka can successfully straddle old musical territory with contemporary and not lose its traditional spirit.