Marc Broussard’s voice is an inspiring instrument. Broussard can sing with subtle shadings, calibrated emotion, and sheer energy, all of which are featured on his new record, A Life Worth Living.
He shouts and screams on the jagged rocker “Dyin’ Man” and the slow burner “Man Ain’t Supposed to Cry” while mining a more folk vein on the sweet “Perfect to Me” and a Southern rhythm-and-blues feel on “Weight of the World.” The music here mixes soul and rock with a couple of unexpected jazz-like turns in the melodies and progressions.
The record has a very personal sound even when the songs aren’t about real people. The songs speak of relationships, both good and broken, and somewhat intimate portraits with Broussard’s voice and its nuances bringing the subjects even closer to the listener. Midway through the record, the album’s climax hits when he sings about his late grandmother in the title track. The emotion is palpable in the sparse, building arrangement of guitar, piano, and cymbals as Broussard juxtaposes his grandmother dying with an impending hurricane.
It’s powerful stuff and such power is evident for the rest of the record, even while restraining himself during “Honesty.” Like many singers these days, he makes use of wordless vocals and some melismatic elements, but he doesn’t depend on them or show off with them, which makes this record an pleasant one to listen to. He uses his voice to serve the songs.
Between that voice and the songs, A Life Worth Living is a solid record full of heartfelt songs and Broussard’s excellent voice.
