Release Date: August 26, 2022
Label: Republic Records
Marcus King‘s new release, Young Blood proves that he has become a musical juggernaut…plain and simple. On this release, King draws from his musical influences to capture the sound of Jimi Hendrix and ZZ Top. He does not disappoint. Lie Lie Lie is a standout anchored by a catchy guitar riff, tight bass and drums and a synced interconnection between the band members. King’s guitar flies and cries, stutters with a Billy Gibbons tone. The track transitions to a side break of jam-band sensibility including flute and another rhythm altogether. Marcus King is talented and can play the hell out of his guitar but for the love of all that is holy, this record got “Auerbached”. Every record that Dan Auerbach produces sounds like it gets put through a Black Keys filter. Blood on the Tracks is the most anthemic tracks on the release. The verses and chorus instantly get stuck in your head, and before you know it you’re singing the song all day. The production on this track is not as intense as others, but stylistically it still works well with the other songs on the project and is one of the stand out tracks. Perhaps the most pertinent lyrics appear in the self-descriptive Hard Working Man where King takes the voice of a blue-collar laborer putting in overtime to be with his girlfriend. One look at King’s aggressive tour schedule (pre-pandemic he was averaging 200 nights a year) and you understand how closely he associates himself with that character. While Young Blood is mostly a lot of muscle flexing, the album ends with the more vulnerable sound of Blues Worse Than I Ever Had. But that song’s screaming guitar outro suggests that King has things under control.
Not a GMR Artist!
FCC: None
Listen to: 2, 6, 7, & 11
WRUV Reviews 