Marcus King's 'Mood Swings' album gets the Rick Rubin touch in April; extensive tour starts next month

photo: JM Collective

I enjoyed watching Marcus King perform when he was among the guests during Eric Clapton's Crossroads Festival in LA, which I reviewed for Rock Cellar Magazine. I look forward to hearing is new material. Read on for more info...

Marcus King will release his new Rick Rubin produced album, Mood Swings, on April 5 via American/Republic Records. In support of it, King also announced his 2024 headlining tour across North America and Europe and is supporting Chris Stapleton. More information available on https://www.marcuskingofficial.com/ - for details on tickets and pre-sale see below.

King released the title track, “Mood Swings.” Listen to it here and pre-order the album here.

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 engineer who would become a dear dear friend. 

"Jason and I toured the space and just for fun decided to track something, what we tracked was the title track “Mood Swings.” I laid down guitar and vocals, we added Rhythm Ace R77 drum machine with tape delay to achieve the swing we desired, added bass & piano and after half an hour the track was finished. The track and album title “Mood Swings” is a play on the swinging nature of the material while also referencing my up and down shifts in mood while I was either abusing the wrong substances, in between mood stabilizing 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, one day randomly 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. 

“There was no hiding behind the guitar at all,” King says. 

Yet Marcus King didn’t plan on making his new album Mood Swings. He didn’t even plan on living much longer before he started working on it. Heartache, addiction, and mental health brought him to the brink and during a North American tour, Marcus 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.”

Around the same time, King went into Dan Auerbach studio and despite his mental health, drinking and substance abuse reaching untenable limits, he was able to create the critically acclaimed album Young Blood. 

Rubin helped King find a new personal and sonic approach and instead of crumbling under the weight of his anxiety, Rubin inspired him to shift his perspective. “He helped me view mental health as a writing partner in a way,” recalls Marcus. “I’ve learned it can give me that creative spark.”

Previously released new song “F*ck My Life Up Again” is a departure. Elsewhere on Mood Swings, King accepts the challenges he’s faced. “Without this assembly of songs, I don’t think I’d be around,” King shares, “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.”

Tickets for the North America dates will be available starting with Citi presale (details below) beginning Monday, February 12. Additional presales will run throughout the week ahead of the general onsale beginning Friday, February 16 at 10am local time at LiveNation.com.

PRESALE: Citi is the official card of the MARCUS KING: MOOD SWINGS THE WORLD TOUR North America dates. Citi cardmembers will have access to presale tickets beginning Monday, February 12 at 10am local time until Thursday, February 15 at 10PM local through the Citi Entertainment program. For complete presale details visit www.citientertainment.com.

King is a GRAMMY® nominated fourth generation musician from Greenville, SC, who started playing guitar at 8 years old following in the footsteps of his guitarist father and grandfather. Logging thousands of miles on the road as “The Marcus King Band,” he made his solo debut El Dorado, garnering a GRAMMY® Award nomination in the category of “Best Americana Album.” In between packing venues on his own, he performed alongside Chris Stapleton, Greta Van Fleet, and Nathanial Rateliff in addition to gracing the bills of Stagecoach and more. He has been open about his challenges with mental health in his songs and throughout his career, and has launched various mental health initiatives, most recently a guitar auction collaboration with MusiCares.

Track listing:

Mood Swings
F*ck My Life Up Again
Soul It Screams
Save Me
Hero
Delilah
Inglewood Motel (Halestorm)
This Far Gone
Bipolar Love
Me Or Tennessee
Cadillac

North American Tour Dates: 

March 7, 2024 - Love Rocks NYC - New York, NY
March 9, 2024 - The Capitol Theatre - Port Chester, NY
April 6, 2024 – U.S. Bank Stadium - Minneapolis, MN w/ Chris Stapleton
April 13, 2024 – 10 Annual Major Rager - Augusta, GA
April 19, 2024 - Moon Crush “Pink Moon” Festival - Miramar Beach, FL
May 06, 2024 - The Moore Theater - Seattle, WA
May 07, 2024 - Crystal Ballroom - Portland, OR
May 08, 2024 - Crystal Ballroom - Portland, OR
May 10, 2024 - The Masonic - San Francisco, CA
May 11, 2024 - Grand Sierra Ballroom - Reno, NV
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 - Fillmore Auditorium - Denver, CO
May 22, 2024 - The Monument - Rapid City, SD w/ Chris Stapleton
May 24, 2024 - Denny Sanford PREMIER Center - Sioux Falls, SD w/ Chris Stapleton
May 25, 2024 - Harrah’s Stir Cove - 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 w/ Chris Stapleton
June 01, 2024 - Railbird Festival - Lexington, KY
June 02, 2024 - Salt Shed - Chicago, IL
June 04, 2024 - College Street Music Hall - New Haven, CT*
June 06, 2024 - Freedom Mortgage Pavilion - Philadelphia, PA w/ Chris Stapleton
June 07, 2024 - Jiffy Lube Live - Bristow, VA w/ Chris Stapleton
June 08, 2024 - Landmark Theatre - Syracuse, NY
June 10, 2024 - Ruby Amphitheater - Morgantown, WV*
June 12, 2024 - T-Mobile Center - Kansas City, MO w/ Chris Stapleton
June 13, 2024 - Thunder Ridge Nature Arena - Ridgefield, MO w/ Chris Stapleton
June 14, 2024 - The Criterion - Oklahoma City, OK
June 15, 2024 - Globe Life Field - Arlington, TX w/ Chris Stapleton
July 11, 2024 - Darien Lake Amphitheater - Darien Center, NY w/ Chris Stapleton
July 12, 2024 - The Pavilion at Star Lake - Pittsburgh, PA w/ Chris Stapleton
July 13, 2024 - Palace Theatre - Albany, NY
July 16, 2024 - Egyptian Room - Indianapolis, IN
July 18, 2024 - Huntington Center - Toledo, OH w/ Chris Stapleton
July 19, 2024 - Schottenstein Center - Columbus, OH w/ Chris Stapleton
July 20, 2024 - The Fillmore Detroit - Detroit, MI
September 04, 2024 - Orpheum - Vancouver, BC
September 06, 2024 - Grey Eagle Event Center - Calgary, AB
September 07, 2024 - Midway Music Hall - Edmonton, AB
September 09, 2024 - Burton Cummings Theatre - Winnipeg, MB
September 13, 2024 - Massey Hall - Toronto, ON
September 14, 2024 - London Music Hall - London, ON
September 17, 2024 - Kemba Live! - Columbus, OH
September 19, 2024 - Warner Theatre - Washington, D.C.
September 20, 2024 - Warner Theatre - Washington, D.C.
September 21, 2024 - The Ritz - Raleigh, NC
September 24, 2024 - Avondale Brewing - Birmingham, AL
September 26, 2024 - Riverside Theater - Milwaukee, WI
September 28, 2024 - The Sylvee, Madison, WI
September 29, 2024 - Vibrant Music Hall - Des Moines, IA
October 07, 2024 - Roxian Theatre - Pittsburgh, PA
October 09, 2024 - State Theatre - Portland, ME
October 11, 2024 - House of Blues Boston - Boston, MA
October 12, 2024 - The Fillmore - Philadelphia, PA
October 13, 2024 - Brooklyn Paramount – Brooklyn, NY
*Not A Live Nation Date/No Citi Presale