Hot Sounds on Cold Nights
Marc Broussard
Momentary Setback
(Ripley Records)
What a voice. When Marc Broussard sings, it's the sound of hardscrabble living and tough lessons learned, powerfully delivered, wrapped in that timbre of so many great singers: powerful and direct, tinged with the gravelly rasp associated with a throat acquainted with humble food, liquor and tobacco. Some of those things might be true, but since Carencro native Broussard recently turned 20, it's probably more accurate to say that he's simply one of those young phenoms blessed with special talent.
Channeling that talent into great art is Broussard's formidable task, and his debut CD, Momentary Setback, shows the benefits and drawbacks of youth. On one hand, his pure enthusiasm drives the narratives of "Blue Jeans" and "Just Like That," which boast the indomitable physicality of young lust. The trick is delivering such subject matter without sounding trite, and lines like "something about you moves me deep inside my soul" and "You know I appreciate you" show Broussard's naivete about lyrical cliches. Both songs also show Broussard wrestling with his musical urges; he's a troubadour at heart, but throwing in hip-hop drum tracks and funky clavinet lines muddies up the mix.
But there's plenty here to suggest that Broussard has the potential to dig deeper and produce some timeless musical moments. Opening track "The Wanderer" boasts some delicate acoustic instrumentation and makes the nomad-coming-home theme especially poignant. And when Broussard tackles brilliant songwriter David Egan's elegaic and hauting "French Cafe," surrounding his voice with a beautiful piano melody, there's no denying that newcomer Broussard can sound like a seasoned veteran -- and he's just getting started.
Scott Jordan/January 21, 2003
Gambit Weekly