Equipped with one of the best blue-eyed soul voices around, Gregg Martinez flirted with stardom in the ‘80s when Philly soul masterminds Victor Carstarphen and Keith Benson nearly launched him as the white Teddy Pendergrass. The Lafayette native returned home in 2006, where he, among other things, crooned with the legendary Boogie Kings and was inducted into the Louisiana Music Hall of Fame as a King. His ninth album under his own name finds him reunited with several of his early ‘80s bandmates, which partially explains the studio chemistry felt here. Martinez is a helluva vocalist who holds nothing back, pouring every ounce of emotion and conviction into the tender ballads he sings. Towards the end of “Just Like That,” he pauses dramatically and then comes roaring back for a grandiose finale.
The song selection leans heavily on covers, but he chooses material that is soulfully felt and emoted accordingly. The inclusion of R. Kelly’s “When a Woman Loves” may seem surprising, but it’s classic soul from Kelly’s 2010 Love Letter. Closer to home, Martinez shines on two David Egan songs, especially on the clever “Blueblooded Girl,” which makes its recorded debut here. Though South of the Parish Line is mostly a mid-tempo affair, Martinez steps up the energy on three familiar tunes (“Back to Louisiana,” “C’est La Vie,” “Take Me to the River”), but he does so with an indigenous swamp pop/New Orleans swagger.
