Some may say Marc Broussard is washed up at the tender age of 25.
"Carencro", his 2004 release on Island Records, sold 230,000 copies, an enormous total, in his native south Louisiana, that draws a yawn in the million-selling world of pop.
Now Broussard follows with an 11-song CD that has only one original. The covers, masterpieces by soul heavyweights like Otis Redding, Bobby Womack and Marvin Gaye, would prove fatal if attempted by amateurs. But Broussard, raised on soul and swamp pop, feels right at home.
The disc features Broussard's soulful voice tackling Al Green's "Love and Happiness", Otis Redding's "I've Been Loving You Too Long", Bobby Womack's "Harry Hippie" and "Respect Yourself" by the Staple Singers.
The CD's lone original track , "Come In From the Cold", maintains the old school R&B vibe.
After Carencro , the singer and guitarist from Louisiana was critically acclaimed and got great visibility and airplay mostly for his fantastic single "Home".
It is down and dirty blues, his voice a deep baritone in the choruses, and nothing but purely cool. Yet, it is the only song on the album with that particular vibe. "Rocksteady" and "Where You Are" are pop perfect, but it's difficultt to understand how they all went together other than the connective tissue that is Broussard's soulful voice.
Now, with his newest effort and one that is particularly close to his heart, Broussard is hitting his stride.
"S.O.S: Save Our Soul" is comprised completely of covers from the soul-heavy Motown and Stax catalogues.
Broussard says that he is trying to bring back the feeling because, "Soul music grew out of the church, out of gospel, but somewhere along the way it lost its heart".
With a very talented group of musicians, including De Marco Johnson killing the piano and organ, Broussard has kept close to the original arrangements of the songs, giving younger generations the opportunity to experience these classics as they were intended, but feeling as if they are brand new.
There is not a weak track here, but one of my most favorite is "Yes We Can, Can", a song you might remember the Pointer Sisters making famous. Broussard seems to channel Harry Connick, Jr. and all the funk of some deep-south soulsters.
Two other tracks you can't miss are "If I Could Build My Whole World Around You" (originally by music royalty Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell, now a duet with Toby Lightman) and "Let the Music Get Down in Your Soul".
Pick up S.O.S and the music will most definitely be "down in your soul".
I love it, you will not disappointed.

I enjoyed the cd. Marc has a wonderful distinct voice and that is whats most pleasing about the cd, his unique sound. The cd is not as inventive as CARENCRO, but I enjoyed it just the same. Especially YES WE CAN CAN

Marc Broussard has more soul than motown!! He is powerful and a pleasure to listen to. I've had the chance to see this man live and he is captivating and fun!~

Marc Broussard... WOW!!! What a voice! I am grateful that someone gave me this CD. I haven't heard such an outstanding voice in a long time. Thanks for sharing your passion for soul music with the rest of us. It's hard to fault someone for dipping into the treasures from the past, even when sticking close to the original when they can sing like this young man. This album does not disappoint!

I love Marc Broussard's voice, and I love what he does with embracing this great music genre. I enjoy this album a lot. My only minor complaint is that, the energy of the songs seem to be restrained just a bit. The songs (and I) beg for more instrumental playing and unrestrained energy. I heard Marc on the radio live at the Xponential concert (from radio station WXPN in Philadelphia), and the band was great and his voice was powerful and the songs really kicked. I wish this album would have captured some of that raw energy, which is obviously lying beneath the surface. But that being said, I still enjoy this album and recommend it for anyone who enjoys R & B soul.

Clearly, his songwriting skills are not on display here but that's ok. I bought this album because I have his previous album and I love it. This album is a showcase for some seriously soulful vocals. I am sure that I will be enjoying this album for a long time to come.

I saw Marc for the first time in Mobile with my boyfriend last year when we first started going out. Now, everytime I can get one of his cds I do.

If you are an fan of old motown; which I am, or if you are a younger generation that is just discovering that there was great music before the 80's....then you should own this cd. One of the reviewers made a comment that Marc should "stick to his own music and leave the originals alone"; unfortunately, many people today are not even aware of the GREAT music that came before them and Marc's recording of these songs was a deliberate attempt to re-introduce this great soul music to the fellow members of his generation. He is just a natural, God-given talent and you can't go wrong with any of his cd's.

It's good, 'cause it's Marc Broussard. :) But it sure ain't no Carencro. I'd even prefer the Momentary Setback EP to this. When it was done, there was no song I was eager to rush back to. If you're expecting a "RockSteady" or "Come Around" or "Home", it's not on this album. But it IS Marc Broussard and his voice IS still amazing, so it's worth listening to. It just may not blow you away.

Outstanding covers of many beloved and classic soul songs from the 70's and on. Broussard is first rate and well worth the listen--many times over.

This guy is so amazing. He covers all these songs just as well if not better than the original version.

He's so young! How did he ever discover this music!!!!

Love it!!!

Learned of Marc Broussard after a National Public Radio interview. Since I have learned that many in south Louisiana, where we live, were much more "up" on his career.
We have so enjoyed this tribute to the soulful music of the 60's and 70's and bought a second copy to share with our firiends. The covers are excellent, especially the Al Green ballad, Love and Happiness.
We also purchased a copy of Broussard's earlier CD, Momentary Setback, and were excited by his own music.
Discovering this Louisiana home-gorwn artist was a pleasure and we have played music from these two discs for everyone who will listen!

A fine collection of "soul" songs. Broussard pays his respects with his renditions, capturing some of the original styling plus giving a little of his own.

Great soulful soulfelt covers but Marc every since I heard you do "Back in Your Arms Again" on a Bruce Springsteen covers compilation CD, I crave for your "voice" and your uniqueness. This CD is great but I have most of the originals and still play them on my old record player through my Fender Super Reverb amp in the basement with far too many beer stains on the top of the amp. The originals are priceless and now I want you to start delivering some of your own originals again ..... you see, covers are great but the real soul is in the heart of the writer of the song. Except for "Back in Your Arms Again" - don't tell the "Boss" but you blew him alway on that song and arrangement. Now, get back on the road and get back on the penning and your unique soulfulness will shine through again. I'LL WAIT.

I took a gamble on Marc's first album and imported it from America to my Australian homeland to be pleasantly surprised and it quickly grew to be one of my favourite albums. It surprised me then that after only 1 full length album, Marc decided to record an album of covers. Whilst the songs featured on this album highlight the soaring, solid vocals I loved from his earlier material, as well as some great production values, it's still just a covers album from a young artist capable who is capable of producing fantastic music of his own.
Highlights of the album include Marvin Gaye's 'Inner City Blues' and the hidden Sam Cooke cover 'Bring It On Home To Me'. Marc's vocals can't be faulted and he and his band are obviously experienced musicians.
In summary, yes this is a good album with some of Soul music's classics being paid their due respects, however Marc Broussard showed such great potential with his first LP and Album which just leaves you wanting more from the artist himself rather than a collection of his favourite songs.

Marc Broussard's got the best voice in blue eyed soul alive right now. He's what Taylor Hicks is only posing for. Marc's Carenco disc is in my top ten discs and I own over 1400 - it's a stellar collection of originals without a bad song on it. That said, this is a disc that really didn't need to be made other than it's always good to keep these classics in the cannon of great american songs and it's nice to hear some lesser known, but solid songs get a second chance. While I love Marc's deep throaty growl and his raspy falsetto, he only matches the originals at best not really adding anything new. Like seeing a really great R&B band in a bar, it takes no effort to love these songs but they fall short of amazing me like his earlier two studio discs did. Worth owning for sure just for his voice but I'm patiently waiting for a new batch of originals.

An added bonus is Toby Lightman on duet and back-up - also one of the best voices of her generation. She's got all the soulful subtlety and nuance that Joss Stone Lacks, but it would have been nice to hear her belt out something better than Tammy Terrell.

Marc Broussard has a soulful voice that matches all of the songs on his latest release "S.O.S.: Save Our Soul". I love listening to these classics being sung by one of the most talented artists of today. His raspy and gritty voice is wonderful as he portrays the struggles and hope in every song he sings. My favorite tracks off the album include "You Met Your Match", "Let the Music Get Down In Your Soul", and "Inner City Blues (Makes Me Wanna Holler)". This album never gets old, and captures my emotions everytime I listen to it. It's a must have for all music lovers!

It's nice to hear this classic music being revived and I know how someone like Marc Broussard feels when he listens to the junk that's passing as "music" today. I feel the same way. Marc has chosen some great songs here and I don't mind that he has stuck close to the originals. Putting a hip/hop spin on these songs would have ruined them.

Only Aretha Franklin, in her heyday, could have taken all of these tunes and made them greater than the originals. This album just makes it more clear that good music (especially soul) is sorely missed in light of what is happening today. Young black "artists" have all but abandoned classic soul for the watered-down dum de dum stuff that's all over the airwaves and it's difficult to tell one record from the next. It doesn't take much talent to sing hip/hop. It appears that people are being taken right off the street and into recording studios...to me, it's that bad.

People like Bettye LaVette are still singing the classic stuff and packing houses all over the world. We don't see European music groups trying to imitate hip/hop, it's classic soul they want to emulate because to their wise ears, it's America's BEST and most valued export.

What drew me to Marc Broussard's "Carencro" was the authenticity of his music. Something happens when he sings his own stuff that takes you there.

I'm not saying he's not good doing this album of all but one cover songs, but he's stuck so close to the original arrangements that it's a waste of his talent.

"Come in from the Cold" is Broussard's only original song on SOS and it's a lovely ballad.

My suggestion is to buy "Carencro" and stick to the original singers of this wonderful soul music.

Ever since my sister lent me her CD and I saw Marc Broussard in concert. I have been in love (some would say obsessed.) Carencro is a great album and I have listened to it thousands of times. It seems like we have been waiting for years for his next album and I couldn't be more excited that it is finally here. I am in love again. My favorite track is Harry Hippie and I don't know why, just do. The CDs are great, but if you haven't seen him live, run, run, run to catch him on one of his tour dates. It is an amazing experience that even if you have never heard his music before, you will enjoy!

Marc Broussard just might have the best voice in the music business. This new cd is a collection of great songs that nobody should try to cover except for Broussard with his soulful sound. He attempts to make the covers sound like the originals as a tribute to them so don't expect a new sound to the old songs. He does a great job of covering them. The more you listen to the cd the better it gets. My favorite song on the album is the only one that is an original(Come in From the Cold). I enjoyed this album so much that I am now going to grow a beard just like the one he has on the cover.

If you are like me, you have been waiting and waiting for Marc to release more of his smooth sounding music. It is nice to say that the wait is over and boy has it been worth the wait!! I must admit that I am not too familiar with the originals that he has covered, so this album plays like new material to me. Every song on the CD sounds great and there is a nice flow to the songs he has covered. Marc's voice is perfect to sing songs like this, and Ms. Toby Lightman does an excellent job with her material. Their duet together is a highlight on a disc that is full of highlights. If you are a fan of Marc Broussard and are wondering if you should if you should add this to your collection, or you are looking for an introduction to a new artist and are wondering if you should try this, do yourself a favor and GET THIS ALBUM!! Marc has said that he will be releasing a CD of original material in the near future, but this album will definitely tide you over until then.

at last a new album ive waited abit to here this and i know if your a fan your glad too that its here!!! this man can sing this album is great hes got soul and can do the old style blues and rock the way its ment to be. buy it you will beamazed .