Mood Swings is Marcus King's magnum opus, an eclectic symphony that is uniquely timeless and current. Drawing on his darkest moments, it became a beacon of hope as he created it and will be a refuge for anyone going through similar challenges.
Accompanying the album announcement, King has released the title track, ‘Mood Swings’, the perfect introduction to a body of work that highlights the different direction King is taking on the new record. The song is a soulful slow burner with pulsing electro-drums and loose jazz-tinged guitar, which leaves space for King’s vulnerable and honest vocal to shine through.
On ‘Mood Swings’, King stated, “In the early summer of 2020, I arrived at Shangri-La for my first meeting with my hero, the legend, Mr. Rick Rubin. As soon as Rick & I met it was like a spark in the room! I immediately felt welcomed, appreciated and mutually admired.
“Rick and I had a wonderful first introduction, and he left me in the capable hands of his ace engineer, Jason Lader, an incredible talent who would become a dear, dear friend. Jason and I toured the space and then, just for fun, decided to track something, and what we tracked was the title song, ‘Mood Swings’. I laid down guitar and vocals, we added Rhythm Ace R77 drum machine with tape delay to achieve the swing we desired, then bass and piano, and after half an hour the track was finished.
“‘Mood Swings’ is a play on the swinging nature of the material, whilst also referencing my up and down shifts in mood while I was either abusing the wrong substances, in between mood-stabilising meds and anti-psychotics, self-medication on top of that, along with a foot locker FULL of repressed childhood trauma all being taken out on my relationship at the time.”
Legendary producer Rick Rubin, who has worked with everyone from Adele to Johnny Cash, was instantly drawn to King’s guitar playing, singular voice and songwriting, and after witnessing a King live performance, cold-called him to float the idea of working together.
Rick Rubin stated, “I love the way listening to this album makes me feel. I can’t think of another project quite like this one. Marcus’s playing and singing are from another planet.”
The pair secretly holed up for sessions in Italy and Malibu during the promotion of King’s critically acclaimed album, Young Blood. The result is King’s most sonically astute and personal album to date, and a landmark moment for Marcus who for the first time lets his smokey and affecting voice take centre-stage stating, “There was no hiding behind the guitar at all!”
Yet Marcus King didn’t plan on making ‘Mood Swings’. Heartache, addiction and mental health brought him to the brink, and during a North American tour, he had designs to drink himself to death. He admits, “I had an escape route already decided for myself and a backup if that didn’t work.”
Despite its often bleak subject matter, ‘Mood Swings’ is an album with a message of hope; it takes us in a very different sonic direction to his previous outing, combining elements as diverse as modern pop, R&B, aughts hip hop, piano driven classic rock and the warm instrumentation of classic era soul, R&B and jazz.
The title track follows the release of, ‘F*ck My Life Up Again’, which was the first taste of what’s to come from King’s new sonic endeavour. It was here Rubin helped King find a new personal and sonic approach, and instead of crumbling under the weight of his anxiety, inspired him to shift his perspective. “He helped me view mental health as a writing partner,” recalls Marcus. “I’ve learnt it can give me that creative spark.”
Though Mood Swings has cemented King’s journey with his mental health, he has been open about his challenges in the past, and has launched various mental health initiatives, most recently a guitar auction collaboration with MusiCares.
On Mood Swings, we find Marcus gracefully standing in his own truth, accepting the challenges he’s faced and coming out the other side a man renewed. It is a rebirth of both his sound and mind. “Without this assembly of songs, I don’t think I’d be around,”.... “I hope this album can act as a safety blanket, a rescue, or a refuge for anybody struggling with mental health, substance abuse or relationship issues. That’s what it is for me.”
Marcus heads out on an extensive North American Tour and heads to the UK and Europe this October and November for a run of dates.
US TOUR DATES
APR 6, 2024
US Bank Stadium
Minneapolis, MN
Chris Stapleton’s All-American Road Show 2024
APR 13, 2024
The Augusta Common
Augusta, GA
10th Annual Major Rager
APR 19, 2024
Moon Crush Festival
Miramar Beach, FL
MAY 6, 2024
The Moore Theatre
Seattle, WA
MAY 7, 2024
McMenamins Crystal Ballroom
Portland, OR
MAY 8, 2024
McMenamins Crystal Ballroom
Portland, OR
MAY 10, 2024
The Masonic
San Francisco, CA
MAY 11, 2024
Grand Sierra Ballroom
Reno, NV
MAY 12, 2024
Wonderfront Music & Arts Festival
San Diego, CA
MAY 14, 2024
The Wiltern
Los Angeles, CA
MAY 15, 2024
The Van Buren
Phoenix, AZ
MAY 17, 2024
The Complex
Salt Lake City, UT
MAY 18, 2024
The Fillmore Auditorium
Denver, CO
MAY 22, 2024
Monument Arena
Rapid City, SD
Chris Stapleton’s All-American Road Show 2024
MAY 24, 2024
Denny Sanford PREMIER Center
Sioux Falls, SD
Chris Stapleton’s All-American Road Show 2024
MAY 25, 2024
Stir Concert Cove - Harrah's Council Bluffs Casino & Hotel
Council Bluffs, IA
MAY 26, 2024
EPIC Event Center
Green Bay, WI
MAY 29, 2024
The Pageant
St Louis, MO
MAY 30, 2024
GLC Live At 20 Monroe
Grand Rapids, MI
MAY 31, 2024
Blossom Music Center
Cleveland, OH
Chris Stapleton’s All-American Road Show 2024
MORE US DATES HERE
CANADIAN DATES
SEP 4, 2024
Orpheum Theatre
Vancouver, BC
SEP 6, 2024
Grey Eagle Resort And Casino
Calgary, AB
SEP 7, 2024
Midway Music Hall
Edmonton, AB
SEP 9, 2024
Burton Cummings Theatre
Winnipeg, MB
SEP 13, 2024
Massey Hall
Toronto, ON
SEP 14, 2024
London Music Hall
London, ON
EUROPEAN DATES
OCT 17, 2024
Sala La Riviera
Madrid, Spain
OCT 18, 2024
Sala Apolo
Barcelona, Spain
OCT 20, 2024
Fabrique
Milan, Italy
OCT 21, 2024
Komplex 457
Zürich, Switzerland
OCT 23, 2024
Le Transbordeur
Lyon, France
OCT 25, 2024
Essigfabrik
Cologne, Germany
OCT 27, 2024
Markthalle Hamburg
Hamburg, Germany
OCT 28, 2024
De Roma
Antwerp, Belgium
OCT 29, 2024
AFAS Live
Amsterdam, Netherlands
OCT 31, 2024
Metropol
Berlin, Germany
NOV 1, 2024
Grey Hall
Copenhagen, Denmark
NOV 3, 2024
Bataclan
Paris, France
UK DATES
NOV 5, 2024
Eventim Apollo
London, UK
NOV 6, 2024
Albert Hall
Manchester, UK
NOV 7, 2024
Barrowland Ballroom
Glasgow, UK
NOV 9, 2024
O2 Institute Birmingham
Birmingham, UK
NOV 10, 2024
The Great Hall
Cardiff, UK
NOV 12, 2024
Olympia Theatre
Dublin, Ireland
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