Coming Home

No. 6: Marc Broussard - Carencro

Two years ago, I was working at KSOU radio in Sioux Center, IA, preparing for a move to Jackson, MS. Even though we belonged to a music servicing group, Island Records still sent us a lot of singles and albums. The music director there often gives them the obligatory 10-second listen before he dumps them.

Now picture "Carencro" from Marc Broussard. Who? I was there when he popped it in, and the first song was on a slow fade in...and finally some weird drums or stomps or something came in. And then a delta bluesy guitar. And then a grovelly old black man. HOLD IT!!! Wasn't there a young white guy on the cover? Yeah! But the guy singing sounds like a B.B. King or John Lee Hooker! Yup, still a white guy. When I noticed that the song was actually about driving to New Orleans, that combined with the black-sounding white guy and blues guitar and unique drums/stomps, and I took home the CD.

Before the following Christmas, I was hooked on Marc Broussard and had vaulted "Carencro" to one of the best albums I owned. Yeah, that's how good it is!

This is one of the most unique and versatile CDs I have ever heard, and you really need to go to the website to get a better feel for the music. (www.marcbroussard.com)

"Home" is all I made it up to be, and has splashed in rock and country markets. "Come Around" sounds like a Harry Connick Jr. jazzy tune. "Rock Steady," "Save Me" (my favorite) and "Where You Are" are top-notch pop rock songs. "The Wanderer" and "Hope For Me Yet" are stripped-down acoustic tunes that are simply outstanding. Broussard even has the vocal flexibility to pull off some club jazz in "The Beauty Of Who You Are," "Lonely Night In Georgia" and "Saturday."

It's impossible to put this album into one category. It's incredibly unique and really that good. Really.