to listen or purchase
Where did this guy come from, and how does he so effortlessly evoke the spirit of the artists whose songs he remakes, while clearly leaving his own unique imprint? The answer, I surmise, is this: The southern born, Lousiana bred Marc Broussard really paid attention to his surroundings. And even better, he absorbed them like a sponge. On his CD Save our Soul, the talented Broussard deftly takes on songs on which less confident and capable singers would fold. Surprisingly, this guy tries Donnie Hathaway's "I Love You More Than You'll Ever Know," and rocks it! Similarly, I found myself listening with pleasure to this guy's rendition of Al Green's "Love and Happiness."
Where did this guy come from, and how does he so effortlessly evoke the spirit of the artists whose songs he remakes, while clearly leaving his own unique imprint? The answer, I surmise, is this: The southern born, Lousiana bred Marc Broussard really paid attention to his surroundings. And even better, he absorbed them like a sponge. On his CD Save our Soul, the talented Broussard deftly takes on songs on which less confident and capable singers would fold. Surprisingly, this guy tries Donnie Hathaway's "I Love You More Than You'll Ever Know," and rocks it! Similarly, I found myself listening with pleasure to this guy's rendition of Al Green's "Love and Happiness."
This CD is one that a soul enthusiast can listen to from beginning to end with very little skipping. Even remakes with which I had no familiarity come off pretty well. The Rance Allen Group's "Let The Music Get Down in your Soul" is a great song if for no other reason, Broussard's charcoal-touched voice just gives a good and warm feeling. If there are 4 words to describe Save our Soul, I would have to say audacious, convincing, reverential, and very GOOD! The disc is nearly essential for lovers of Marvin Gaye, Stevie Wonder or The Staple Sisters or other classic soul.
What Marc Broussard does here is again demonstrate that there is still a young crop of artists who still seriously regard the ruggedness and durability of classic soul. On your initial listen of Save our Soul, you might get the feeling that Broussard is just a cliché of an artist, remaking songs that are easy to like in the first place. However, once you have reached track three, you realize that this guy is doing this in earnest, and has in some way distilled the best of what we like about the classics, while at the same time letting his own light shine. Bottomline: Add this to your collection. Listening to it just makes you feel good all over!
By Drake Phifer