Marc Broussard
A Life Worth Living
Vanguard Records
Now I always feel great when I come across an individual I’m unfamiliar with because it allows me to seek out that person’s material, gig tickets and possibly get the chance to meet them. This is the case with Marc Broussard. I saw him open for JJ Grey and the Mofro at 02 Academy Islington in London in March and it was an astonishing set. So much so it felt like his own headline show as you couldn’t hear a pin drop during his slower songs. Then the Mofro joined him onstage for the remainder of his performance and it worked perfectly. Suffice to say, I purchased his new album ‘A Life Worth Living’ straight away and haven’t stopped playing it since.
‘Dyin’ Man’ sees Marc sing with a similar phrasing to Robert Cray whilst drummer Chad Gilmore, Jeff Babko on piano and producer Paul Moak just pack a musical punch. ‘Perfect to Me’ is a radio-friendly track that is emotional without being syrupy and really has great lyrics. He reminds me of Paolo Nutini with ‘Man Ain’t Supposed to Cry’ and it is clear he is influenced by the likes of Otis Redding, Stevie Wonder and Marvin Gaye.
‘Edge of Heaven’ is a simple composition with a light drum sound and piano which complement each other. The title track is quite a sombre piece about the passing of Broussard’s grandma Mamie Ruth Deville who passed away during a brutal hurricane. It does really tug at your heart strings but you can hear it’s from a good place. Quite rightly, the album is dedicated to her memory and it quickly becomes clear to me that this isn’t someone who is only looking out for numero uno. He genuinely cares about the situations and people around him.
‘Honesty’ has the sound of rain with just the drums and Broussard is explaining to the listener about a heated conversation with a female. ‘Another Day’ features Genevieve Schatz on vocals and it has a dark theme running through it; when you realise that another day in a rocky relationship won’t help. It is musically beautiful and lyrically cold. ‘Weight of the World’ sounds like it would be a live highlight. ‘Shine’ makes reference to J.J. Cale and Broussard tells us how the summer months play out in the South.
During his live performance, Marc admitted that a lot of his songs are about death and ‘Give Em Hell’ is no exception as he tries to figure out what a departed relative would want him to do. Closer ‘ I’ll Never Know’ is simply about father who is trying to understand what to tell his children when they see things such as birth, death, hate and war. How does he tell them that he is powerless to stop these things in the world? He just wants to do the right thing by his family as any parent would.
In conclusion, Marc Broussard is a man who is steeped in American soul music but puts his own twist on his material. With a funky group of musicians around him, this guy’s vocals are similar to performers such as James Morrison, Gregory Porter, Paolo Nutini and a friend of mine Jonny Lang due to his smooth delivery and emotionally raw songs. He is extremely talented and I predict he will make a big impact in the worldwide music market.
Glenn Sargeant
Marc Broussard’s new album ‘A Life Worth Living’ is out now. In addition, he will be performing a one-off UK show on Sunday 28th June at Dingwalls in Camden, London. For more information visit www.marcbroussard.com
