Marc Broussard is having an identity crisis or at least it sounds like he might on his major label debut, Carencro, named after his hometown in Louisiana. Whether you already know who he is or are simply drawn by the cover picture of the 22-year-old looking very much like a close relative of Ben Affleck, it’s impossible to draw conclusions about this album without listening to the entire thing. Somehow he’s capable of going from disco to acoustic pop to blues while maintaining the soul vibe that separates him from all his contemporaries.
Without a picture on the disc’s cover, the first track might mislead you to believe that Broussard is an older African American man from the Deep South, with his incredibly deep voice and the simple instrumentation that recalls spiritual music from centuries past. Nothing gives away that he’s a pretty white boy who publishes lyrics under the title of “Punk Ass Music.” It does show case the passion that Broussard is capable of infusing into his voice even as it becomes a chaotic mix of spiritual and modern blues.
Broussard’s pop sensibilities prove to be unique for someone of his age; instead of the straight pop dominating radio now, he likes to throw in obvious inspirations from years past. The addicting pop of “Rocksteady” has a vibe about it that makes you wonder if this is the type of music the Temptations would have made if they were around now. Then an electric guitar solo starts, possibly as a substitute for the more common saxophone solo of the Motown era. “Come Around” uses a brass section and a piano to give strong backing to his own acoustic guitar playing, giving it the air of a Stevie Wonder song; it probably helps that he sings in a similar range to the great soul man.
Broussard channels another great – this time Ray Charles – on “Lonely Night in Georgia,” a mellow ode about loneliness and desiring nothing more than to go home. If you didn’t know better, it sounds like a cover of a song from the big soul era of the ‘70s.
Perhaps hoping to cover as many older genres as possible, “Saturday” infuses a disco vibe without diving into the overproduction of electronica, a seemingly difficult task in today’s pop music. All the while, he continues with his lyrical theme of being with the girl of his dreams, singing that “There ain’t nothing like sleeping late on a Saturday / Waking up to see my baby’s face.”
The only pure acoustic pop track on the album comes courtesy of “The Wanderer,” which is also the only repeated song from his independent CD, Momentary Setback. Though a slightly different version, the song’s power comes more in his delivery of the lyrics of being changed by his musical journeys. He’s believable without being corny or sounding like he’s complaining about the live he’s chosen for himself. Also, by using a gospel choir in the closing, he’s able to tie yet another song to his soulful sound.
Dabbling with the slightly more cliché pop rock genre, Broussard retains his ability to be different, occasionally sounding like he nabbed a couple of songs from the Hanson brothers’ newest album. The poppy “Where You Are” has a catchy chorus, complete with backing harmonies as he declares his unfaltering love to a nameless girl. Similar sentiments are shared in “Save Me,” which isn’t necessarily a highlight though it is a decent pop song. But didn’t Hanson already record this one?
Broussard’s identity crisis, for the most part, works. He has an advantage as he fights to make it in a music industry suddenly saturated by other pretty white boys trying to make a point with their guitars – for the most part he’s taking his music in a different direction that few of the others can follow. If he moves away from the more radio friendly pop of his peers and focuses on his talent as a soul singer, there’s great potential in Marc Broussard making a name for himself and separating from a group of singer-songwriters that have started blending into each other.
Artist:
Marc Broussard