Marc Broussard
Carencro (Island) If you only heard his voice, you'd think Marc Broussard was a Motown recording star from the Seventies, or perhaps a long lost relative of Lenny Kravitz. Instead, the 22-year-old hails from Carencro, La., located just outside Lafayette, and he unflinchingly refers to himself as "a white boy singing soul music." What jumps out throughout his debut is Broussard's self-confidence. Each tune possesses enough conviction to conjure faint echoes of early Stevie Wonder. As a songwriter, Broussard isn't anywhere near such a level; some of his songs bear the lyrical clichés one would expect from a young singer-songwriter. Still, with folks like Radney Foster, Martin Sexton, and Angelo (Kim Richey, Patty Griffin) credited as co-writers, he's being pointed in the right direction. There are other spots where Broussard's music tilts a little too close to soft rock, spots where the Dave Matthews influence is beyond overt, but tunes like the fiery set opener "Home" and the appropriately slinky blues "Lonely Night in Georgia" are showstoppers. Broussard's Cajun roots only make fleeting appearances throughout Carencro, a bit more will distance his sound from the variety of influences that he so openly relies on. It's still an impressive debut, and he possesses a mountain of talent; where he heads next will be interesting to hear. (Friday, 3:10pm, BMI stage)
