Marc Broussard

Marc Broussard is a soul man at heart. His latest album, Keep Coming Back, blends a big bayou groove with a funky swagger. The man knows how to get down on cuts like the title track. Its booty-shakin' buildup gives way to a bombastic horn section, and Broussard's finely grizzled baritone kicks in. He carries the song's massive hook, and it's the perfect opening to the album. His voice guides the record more than anything else. It's hard to categorize, because he wouldn't be out of place in MoTown or in Nashville. However, that's the beauty of Broussard, he's definitely got his own thing going on both sonically and lyrically.

"Hard Knocks" and "Power's In the People" both see Broussard flexing those vocal muscles over a bluesy-country hodgepodge of riffs, rhythms and textural flourishes. Broussard does keep it straight country on the album's two fantastic collaborations. The first, "Why Should She Wait," sees him trading verses with Sara Bareilles. His voice has a serious versatility that allows for some fun duets. He also volleys vocals with LeAnn Rimes on "When It's Good," another pop ditty. Both collaborations are very worthwhile cameos. He gets a bit gloomier on the pensive "Evil Things," and his lyrical prowess shines through the darkness. Meanwhile, "Another Night Alone" ruminates on loneliness with a memorable chorus.

The album's closing combo of "Going Home" and "Evangeline Rose" show Broussard's softer side. "Going Home" has a road-worn refrain that could pull at even the hardest of heart strings, while the acoustic "Evangeline Rose" is a lullaby for his youngest child. Both tracks further illuminate his talent. Overall, Keep Coming Back is about as soulful as it gets these days, and it will more than likely beckon you back more than once.

—Rick Florino
09.24.08

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