Marcus King today released Young Blood, his career defining new album, produced by Dan Auerbach and released on Rick Rubin’s American Records / Republic.
His tales of salvation, break up and addiction, draw on some of his lowest moments with drug and alcohol excess, following a crushing break-up. King is open about his challenges with mental health and shares he often deals with bouts of mania and depression, which were at the forefront of his mind while making Young Blood. During recording and writing the album, things were so bleak, King believed he was making his last record. King stated,
“I needed to bare my soul, I needed this record to be a mirror into what was going on inside me, the inner torment of being alone for the first time in so long, The come down from the substances and the company I kept to keep me from feeling so lonely.” He continues “'Young Blood' is a closing door to the chapter behind me. I used to be comfortable with the idea of burning out quickly, I was in a rush to say all that was on my heart before it was too late. Now that I’ve found love in life and love in myself I’m learning to more slowly unpack past trauma, Learn from it, write about it and move forward.”
In these darkest moments, King turned to his most stadium sized 70s rock influences, both for musical comfort and also as a foreboding warning. Even at his lowest ebb, he knew that the path ahead, trodden by idols from Jimi Hendrix to Paul Kossoff, was one of impending doom if he continued to push himself to his very limit.
Despite challenging personal circumstances, King has made his most accomplished work to date. The album, which features songwriting collaborations with King, Auerbach and songwriting legends Angelo Petraglia and Desmond Child, noted for their work with everyone from Kings of Leon and Aerosmith.
The record has already received widespread critical acclaim. Jimmy Fallon shared that King “is one his favorites”, before his electrifying performance of “Hard Working Man” on the Tonight Show. SPIN stated, “The music is lean and mean, and King’s vulnerability amid a devastating breakup is on full display”. FLOOD MAGAZINE proclaimed King “fully embodies the gritty rock sounds the songwriter’s always dipped his toes in.” Brooklyn Vegan exclaimed, “If you've got a place in your heart for stuff like The Allman Brothers, Lynyrd Skynyrd, or ZZ Top, it'd be tough to deny that Marcus truly captures the spirit of that era (and also really shreds.)” Rolling Stone Magazine stated, he “turned a dark period into a blistering rock album.” Billboard declared King’s anthem “Hard Working Man” showcased, “King’s soul-shouting vocal and a wealth of defiance and praise for those giving all they’ve got to their 9-to-5.” Associated Press, stated, “The album is soaked in ’70 rock ’n’ roll.” Nashville Scene profiled King, praising the new record and King’s guitar prowess, stating, “In King’s hands, the instrument sounds dark and desperate and dangerous.”
GRAMMY.com also dropped a live performance video of album track “Pain” created at Auerbach’s Easy Eye Sound Studio, it features acclaimed musicians including Chris St. Hilaire on drums and Nick Movshon on bass. Watch it here: https://mk.lnk.to/grammypushplay
King has been an outlier from the very beginning. A fourth generation musician from Greenville, SC, who learned guitar at age 3 from his blues rock musician father Marvin King. He navigated troublesome school years to quickly become known as one of the most promising young artists of our time. He followed breakout success with The Marcus King Band, with his Auerbach produced 2020 solo album debut, El Dorado. It garnered a GRAMMY® Award nomination in the category of “Best Americana Album.” With unparalleled performance prowess and a dynamic live show, King has sold out historic venues from The Beacon to The Filmore. He has opened for Chris Stapleton, Greta Van Fleet and Nathaniel Rateliff and graced the bills of Stagecoach, Fuji Rock, Rock Werchter and more. He also recently launched his own custom Gibson guitar and signature Orange guitar amplifier, the MK Ultra, which sold out before it even hit the stores.
King recently announced a massive headline US tour, with dates HERE through September and October 2022 supporting the release of his forthcoming solo album, Young Blood. He will be taking his stadium sized sound to esteemed venues across the U.S, including two nights at venues such as New York’s Beacon Theatre and Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium. Neal Francis and Ashland Craft support select dates, and the tour features comedy by Dean Del Ray. Tickets on sale now HERE and a complete list of dates follows below.
King continues to tear up the rulebook with the release of Young Blood, with a timeless sound and a singular voice which set to soon establish him as one of the most soulful vocalists of his generation.
It’s Too Late
Lie Lie Lie
Rescue Me
Pain
Good and Gone
Blood On The Tracks
Hard Working Man
Aim High
Dark Cloud
Whisper
Blues Worse Than I Ever Had
TOUR DATES
Tickets available at marcuskingofficial.com/tour
Sept 9 – The Met – Philadelphia, PA
Sept 10 – The Theater at MGM National Harbor – Washington DC
Sept 11 – House Of Blues – Boston, MA
Sept 15 – Beacon Theatre – New York, NY
Sept 16 – Beacon Theatre – New York, NY
Sept 17 – KEMBA Live! – Columbus, OH
Sept 18 – Bourbon & Beyond Festival – Louisville, KY
Sept 20 – HISTORY – Toronto, ON
Sept 21 – Stage AE – Pittsburgh, PA
Sept 23 – GLC Live at 20 Monroe - Grand Rapids, M
Sept 24 – The Sylvee – Madison, WI ^
Sept 25 – Palace Theatre – St. Paul, MN
Sept 27 – Egyptian Room @ Old National Centre – Indianapolis, IN
Sept 29 – Ryman Auditorium – Nashville, TN
Sept 30 – Ryman Auditorium – Nashville, TN
Oct 1 – The Tabernacle – Atlanta, GA
Oct 2 – The Tabernacle – Atlanta, GA
Oct 4 – Stubb's Bar-B-Q – Austin, TX
Oct 6 – The Van Buren – Phoenix, AZ
Oct 7 – The Wiltern – Los Angeles, CA
Oct 8 - House of Blue - San Diego, CA*
Oct 11 – The Masonic – San Francisco, CA
Oct 13 – Crystal Ballroom – Portland, OR
Oct 14 – The Neptune Theatre – Seattle, WA
Oct 15 – The Neptune Theatre – Seattle, WA
Oct 17 – The Complex – Salt Lake City, UT
Oct 18 – Mission Ballroom – Denver, CO
Oct 20 – The Pageant – St. Louis, MO
Oct 21 – Byline Bank Aragon Ballroom – Chicago, IL
Oct 22 – The Fillmore Detroit- Detroit, MI
Oct 23 – Agora Theatre – Cleveland Ohio
Oct 25 – The Fillmore Charlotte – Charlotte, NC
Oct 26 – Avondale Brewing Company - Birmingham, AL
Oct 27 – The Fillmore New Orleans – New Orleans, LA
Neal Francis, Ashland Craft and comedy by Dean Delray unless festival or otherwise stated.
^ Neal Francis and Dean Delray only
*Ashland Craft and Dean Delray only
