It’s amazing to see what someone with a good voice is capable of, and it seems that Marc Broussard is capable of a lot, with a voice ranging from a higher alto to a low tenor.

At the age of 22, Marc Broussard seems to have it all figured out with Carencro, his first album release. It has been long in the making. He began his musical career at age 5, when he and his father, a Louisiana Hall of Fame inductee for his guitar playing, played club gigs together in Washington, D.C. By the time Marc turned 17, he was playing solo in clubs and headlining different bands. “I’ve been to the biggest cities. I love New York City for its energy, but I’ll never live anyplace but southern Louisiana,” said Marc.

He has been traveling all over in order to get his career jump started, which it finally was when he met producer Marshal Altman, who produced his first EP, Momentary Setback, along with this first album. He has been touring for several years and played at some of the biggest festivals in music, including Bonaroo and Jazz Fest. He has toured with the likes of Dave Matthews Band, Tori Amos, Willie Nelson, Maroon 5 and Gavin DeGraw.

The album is a combination of old soul mixed with new. He rocks out on piano and guitar, oftentimes alongside his father, but his voice brings out a spiritual side to the album. What is amazing about Broussard is that his voice doesn’t just stick; it changes and varies so masterfully that you wonder if it is the same person singing, which indeed it is. While his songs can be somewhat pop, there is a hint of country and folk mixed in, giving the impression that he doesn’t want to be typecast, but dabble in a little bit of everything.

On the first track “Home,” his voice is deep and resonating. His voice goes as low as a bass, but then as high as an alto within the same fragment of singing. The backbeat sounds like hands clapping, making the song seem reminiscent of a church choir, like those that he and his father played in together. The guitar is subtle. The same subtle strings are played over and over as Broussard’s voices dominates, and he belts out the words: “Said take me home / Take me home.” Here he refers to his desire to be back in Louisiana after months and months of traveling to other cities.

In the song “Save Me,” his voice resumes its natural low alto pitch. The guitar strums pleasantly high in the background at the same rhythm as his voice. Another acoustic guitar plays gently along with the chorus, chiming in at the climax when he sings “Save me / Give me what I need / I know you can break these chains / And set me free.” The beat seems to be set by the guitars themselves, although the drums can be faintly heard in the background, tapping. When the chorus kicks in, the cymbals are smashed down, but not obtrusively — just enough to add character to the massive strumming of the guitar.

In the song “Where Are You?” the lyrics are nothing special or dynamic, but his voice is melodic with a higher pitch, almost heading toward soprano. The drums are a little more prominent, adding a good beat that makes you get up and dance around. A banjo takes control in the chorus, plucking away speedily, adding even more reason to groove. The song is beautifully written, although not complex, when he sings in the beginning, “Your skin is like the moonlight / dancing in the midnight / your touch is sweet as candy / your kisses they taste so fine.” His soul can be heard not only in the perfect fluidity of his voice, but the tenderness of the song combined with the upbeat singing, banjo playing and drumming.

Broussard shows that soul and rock really can come together in one fluid sound. His voice is unparalleled in control and the ability to make both an alto and a tenor sound equally beautiful.

Grade: A