Like Clark Kent and his alter ego Superman, a similar analogy can be applied to Lafayette musician Sam Broussard. While he rules as the high-voltage guitarist with Cajun traditionalists T-Mamou, he also doubles as a singer-songwriter equipped with a sensibility all his own. Geeks, Broussard’s debut after decades in the game, isn’t even close to the typical laid-back coffeehouse folkie affair unless you’re guzzling 16-ounce cups of espresso. Rather, the provocative lyricist tackles life’s realities like a crazed lineman taking out his pent-up aggressions—head on and never half speed.
In doing so, Broussard often looks at life through the eyes of others. There’re themes from those mired in challenging professions like the under-appreciated mortician, the sexually-tempted clergyman or the edgy cop who’s ready to go postal at a moment’s notice. Broussard never minces words—it’s usually the opposite like a flaming rage of a corporate industrial bastard (“I Don’t Care Where You Bury Me”)—“Send your foulest demon / I’ll choke him with his tongue / Send all your cutthroat lawyers, man / I’ll make them eat their young.” In some ways, he’s a metal folkie supplying aggressive, hard-hitting lyrics to sweet melodies like “Angel of Mercy” or “If I Ever Get Out of This Place.” “Look at Me” is another honest examination, this time from an elderly woman who feels ostracized from the youthful world. Occasionally, there’s a self-glimpse like an unrequited love (“Do the Numbers”) or the candid sketch of “The Geek” where the tenor-voiced Broussard sings guy-friendly lines like “Guys I know are all so clever / they salt their talk with cool punch lines.” “T-Neg” is not as personal but deeply cultural as the song’s vignettes expose ingrates shedding their Cajun identity and hints of interracial relationships.
Combine Broussard’s lyrical thoughts with his exceptional guitar stylings and it’s a powerful tandem. A guitar player’s guitar player, Broussard never lacks for intricate finger picking patterns, harmonics or any other unpretentious string wizardry. Yet, as awe-inspiring as this is, none of this overshadows the lyrics. Truly a dense affair, Geeks is one of those rare records where every second counts.
