Marc Broussard Albums (5)
What The Critics Say
Who would have thought it would take a deal with Atlantic Records to uncover the independent live spirit of Louisiana singer/songwriter Marc Broussard? Broussard drew more than a few raves for his 2007 Vanguard issue S.O.S.: Save Our Soul, but it was still an album covered in studio gimmickry -- it tried too hard to sound like an old-school soul record and contained only covers. This time out, it's all original material recorded on two-inch analog tape (Atlantic should release this on vinyl). Broussard uses his road band, and longtime collaborators Justin Tocket and Calvin Turner as co-producers, to knock it out of the park. He employs a couple of Nash Vegas studio aces in keyboardist Tim Akers and guitarist Gary Burnette, the Nashville String Machine, and a seven-piece horn section to enhance the proceedings. LeAnn Rimes and Sara Bareilles sing on one track each to boot. Keep Coming Back is a brash and very present recording rooted in Broussard's arrangements. It was cut in 11 days and the singer claims eight of its songs were first takes. It's drenched in gritty Southern funk, big voiced blue-eyed soul, and swampy blues and rock. He has more in common with singers like Delbert McClinton, Delaney Bramlett, Joe South, and even Daryl Hall than the bizarre comparisons to Al Green and Donny Hathaway he got last time out. The set kicks off with gritty funk as Broussard comes strutting into his lyric in a relaxed but low-down backcountry seductive croon. One can feel the immediacy of the band's presence in the whomp of the snare drums, choppy guitars, and snaky keyboards winding themselves around the blanket of horns (can you say Muscle Shoals?) and a backing chorus that takes it all to party-ville. "Hard Knocks" is mean with its grooved-out Hendrixian guitar sound and explosive low-end theory bassline and staggered breaks. Broussard's voice is enormous; he can soar above the wall of brass without even trying. The overdubs -- done later -- add to the sense of presence on the record rather than take it away. "Why Should We Wait," with Bareilles on backing vocals, is a catchy pop-soul tune that should score as a single. It's far from the best thing here, but it's catchy and warm and uncharacteristically innocent. The Rimes duet on "When It's Good" is a solid clue that she should sing in this vein more often. To be truthful, one has seldom heard her this up-front and fearless. Her emotional depth almost steals the show -- especially with the whining Dobro playing the blues in the background. But Broussard is no slouch and can emote in the slow ones too, and does -- this is like Delaney & Bonnie at their very best. "Another Night Alone" showcases his upper register and ability to croon as well as howl -- likewise for "Going Home," which is downright sexy. Power's in the People" is the political song of the 2008 season, no matter what your party preference. This is the mythical place where War, the Staples, and Bobby Whitlock all meet in the sweaty humid New Orleans night. The references are merely that, and Broussard sounds like himself; Keep Coming Back is a conscious attempt at capturing immediacy for the listener rather than an attempt at retro revisionism. This is modern and sophisticated yet crackling funky Louisiana blue-eyed soul; it should be heard by anyone with a pulse. The only way Broussard can possibly top this set -- right now -- is to play the whole thing live. ~ Thom Jurek, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
It might have come out in 2007, but S.O.S.: Save Our Soul is a record very much grounded in the soul music of the 1960s and 1970s, both in material and sound. To begin with, all but one of the songs is a cover of a '60s or '70s soul tune. The arrangements have a very vintage sound as well, singer Marc Broussard and multi-instrumentalist/background singer Calvin Turner being the only constant factors in a rotating cast of players. Give Broussard credit for not opting, for the most part, for overdone standards; there are covers of a few big hits here (Marvin Gaye's "Inner City Blues [Make Me Wanna Holler]," the Staple Singers' "Respect Yourself," the Pointer Sisters' "Yes We Can, Can"), but also interpretations of lesser-known songs associated with Stevie Wonder, Bobby Womack, Rance Allen, Al Green, and Blood, Sweat & Tears. On its own terms, it's an OK record; Broussard's a good (if not too distinctive) singer, and the musical grooves are solid. If you made a mixtape of the originals, though, it would blow this out of the water, making this an inessential tribute to vintage soul that's rather pointless except as a showcase of Broussard's skill in carrying on the tradition. ~ Richie Unterberger, All Music Guide
'Bootleg to Benefit the Victims of Hurricane Katrin'
Release Date 10/25/2005
Tracks 5
Label Island
See Album Tracklist and Review
What The Critics Say
Make no mistake about it, Marc Broussard can sing. With a husky baritone that sounds like some Louisiana version of David Ruffin and an upward range that suggests Al Green or Eddie Kendricks, Broussard's soulful phrasing carries a kind of joyous and yet world-weary wisdom that belies his age. The lead track here, "Home" (the album is named after Broussard's hometown of Carencro, LA), is immediately stunning. A huge and atmospheric swampy Motown stomp, "Home" sounds like Otis Redding from some alternate universe -- one in which he doesn't die in a plane crash -- singing swamp pop with all the funk of a Memphis Stax groove and all the ghostly alligator voodoo of Dr. John. An explosively effective track, "Home" is a hard act to follow, and the rest of this album seems to trail in its wake. "Save Me" sounds like it could be a winning single for the neo-MTV generation, and Broussard's surprisingly joyous vocal (you can tell he takes glee in singing, a trait, again, that recalls Al Green) masks a somewhat codependent lyric, while "Lonely Night in Georgia" sounds like John Hiatt trying to channel Ray Charles. There is a journeyman's feel to some of the songs, but Broussard's soulful vocals always find a meaningful corner to work from in just about everything here, and one can't help but feel this guy has a monster album in him just around the corner. Carencro isn't a masterpiece (although "Home" certainly is), but it is a solid, professional, and undeniably soulful outing, and anyone who can sing like this kid is definitely going to set the world reeling back on its heels eventually. ~ Steve Leggett, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Momentary Setback is undeniably a strange choice for the title of one's debut release, hardly suggesting a vote of self-confidence. Yet this first release from southern Louisiana native Marc Broussard is brimming with confidence and self-assurance. Broussard sounds many, many years older than he was at the time of the album's recording, bearing a gritty, at times ferocious delivery that seems to channel street spirits. Or more likely, the spirits of still-kicking blues-rockers like John Hiatt and Delbert McClinton, or perhaps the bayou's own Dr. John. Producer Marshall Altman, himself a heartland rock veteran via his short-lived band Farmer, intuitively understands Broussard's growling, road-worn inclinations, and gives him just the right framework in which to explore them. Key to the sound is Shawn Carter's magnificently textured organ, and his clavinet playing, shining most brightly on "Just Like That" and "Blue Jeans." It's not a modern sound, but it's the right sound. Momentary Setback isn't as much fun in the second half when it takes a decidedly more spiritual bent, but this abbreviated LP (or is it an extended EP?) presents Marc Broussard as a talented songwriter and storyteller, and an astonishingly gifted and unique vocalist. ~ Joseph McCombs, All Music Guide
