It is no secret that I have an unexplainable soft spot for
Marcel. His songs are often silly and his voice is unpolished, though irresistibly charming, but he is also capable of turning a phrase.
In his latest song, “Believin’”, which is similar in perspective to Jo Dee Messina’s “I’m Alright,” Marcel reveals the struggles that he has undergone as the result of a largely disappointing and mostly unsuccessful music career. While he holds out hope, he acknowledges that it hasn’t been easy or glamorous: “Don’t have two pennies to rub, but my card still slides./What good is life if you’re not livin’?/Makin’ minimum payments is part of my cadence,/Just waitin’ to get back what I’ve given.”
The song’s content certainly comes from an honest place and Marcel’s delivery is palpably sincere. Furthermore, while some of the lyrics are rather unoriginal, particularly the chorus, there are other parts of the song where the lyrics are actually intriguing. The song, however, greatly suffers from a hokey melody and an uninspiring production that cannot be overlooked when it comes right down to it, no matter how much I may be pulling for him.
Grade: C-
Listen: Marcel, “Believin'”
Well, I guess I should get my interview with him posted, eh?
I love Marcel, but I’m with you on this one. What’s a Marcel song without a good hook? His album got a bit repetitive because of too many “I’m following my dream” songs that blended together. Give me “Tennessee” any day.
I am a huge Marcel fan. “Tennessee” is one of my favorite songs of all time.
I agree that this one lacks power and a hook.
I keep waiting for him to really do something that will turn him into a superstar. I don’t think this is it.
I’m gonna have to disagree here and say I’m liking this one a lot. It’s definatley his weakest single so far but, he hasn’t had a bad one yet so…
I’m hoping he makes it big one day but I don’t see it happening at this point, I doubt any Major lable will want to give him another shot after both Mercury and Lyric Street (though LS didn’t try too hard) failed to break him.
By the way Kevin where did you find his new album I didn’t realize it was out yet?
I’d rethink his name.
Jordan,
The first CD had a bunch of that and the EP that I have has some as well. If Marcel’s guilty of anything it’s writing and recording what is true to him and not something he thinks the audience will like. Also, his new album will come out on his new label Red Striped Plane Records. It’s (mostly) the one that was supposed to come out on Lyric Street.
Marcel is more of a guilty pleasure for me. I don’t really take away much from his music, but mostly just have fun with it, which is nice to do sometimes. I actually don’t think he’s above writing songs to appeal to the masses any more than other Nashville songwriters these days. After all, he did write Josh Gracin’s Nothing to Lose” and that Rascal Flatts song about the backwards country song or something like that.:)
I have to say that he is pretty hot, and I have not heard his music but what everyone else is saying I can’t be missing to much, :)