ALBUM REVIEW: Marcus King Searches His Soul on ‘Mood Swings’

Marcus King has come a long way since his days as a child prodigy (his first paying performance was at 8 years old, gigging with his father, guitarist Marvin King). He’s also come a long way from being mentored by the likes of Warren Haynes, who re-released the Marcus King Band’s first album, Soul Insight, on his Evil Teen label, then produced their self-titled sophomore outing for Fantasy. King has won Grammys, released three albums under his band’s moniker as well as two solo efforts, and performed on the Tonight Show … and he’s still under 30 years old. Now he’s taken his sound even further, with help from superstar producer Rick Rubin, on Mood Swings.

Marcus King (photo by JM Collective)

Over the last few years, King’s self-described “soul-influenced psychedelic Southern rock” has evolved from guitar-based jams and soul shouters to the intricate textures and soul searching that underpin his latest. On his previous solo work, Dan Auerbach helped King focus his efforts on song-based structures informed by the soul/country/gospel sounds of his upbringing in Greenville, South Carolina. Both the country soul balladry of El Dorado (ND review) and the blues-rock of Young Blood (ND review) helped prepare both King and the listener for the journey into the murky, dark beauty of Mood Swings. Yet it was his lifestyle that determined the lyrical direction.

King is the latest to fall under the spell of Rick “I have no technical ability and I know nothing about music” Rubin. One thing Rubin does have, however, is some of the best ears in the business, and he knows how to get an artist to dig deep into their soul and discover what initially motivated them to play music, or how to best express what’s been bottled up inside. He successfully manages to bring out both in King.

Between the touring and promotion cycles of El Dorado and Young Blood, King was in a dark place, as he shares in the press material for Mood Swings: “I was either abusing the wrong substances, in between mood stabilizing meds and anti-psychotics, self-medication on top of that, along with a footlocker full of repressed childhood trauma all being taken out on my relationship at the time.” Even thoughts of ending it all entered his mind. Thankfully, it instead spills onto the page and into the headphones of Mood Swings.

“Fuck My Life Up Again” addresses the emotional abuse and uncertainty one can suffer in a relationship, while “Save Me” reaches for hope, albeit tentatively, as a fragile heart learns to love again. The title track, propelled by a Rhythm Ace R77 drum machine, acts as an apology and a plea for understanding of the effects of deep-seated trauma. The music here borrows from, and burrows into, the deep Southern R&B of Willie Mitchell’s stellar and at times claustrophobic productions. It fits the mood perfectly.

One of the album’s strongest tracks, “Delilah,” conjures Laid Back-era Gregg Allman and features King’s most deeply felt vocals to date. His fuzzed-out guitar solo amps up the performance to Derek and the Dominos-level heights. The Al Green-leaning continues through “Inglewood Motel (Halestorm)” while the swaying soul country of “Love Is Bipolar” recalls the late ’60s sides of classic O.C. Smith — subtle strings and all. Then there’s “Me or Tennessee”: King wallows in self-pity, questions if he’ll see his love again, figures he should “get his meds straight” and realizes she may need some peace. Musically, he’s reaching back to his father, and his grandfather’s, uplifting gospel roots. The melancholy meets the celebratory, a sliver of hope among the heartache.

Mood Swings follows a trend similarly explored this year by Gary Clark Jr.’s JPEG RAW (ND review). Both are expanding the reach of the blues into the worlds of soul, R&B, hip-hop, and pop for the 21st century while not neglecting the past that laid their foundations. It’s not a new venture by any means, but it’s what’s kept this music in the public subconsciousness as well as being a cornerstone of all roots music since the beginning. Marcus King proves here that you can dig just as deep into one’s soul with or without a guitar to hide behind.

Marcus King’s Mood Swings is out April 5 on American/Republic Records.