Marcus King Band Announce ‘Darling Blue,’ First Full-Band Album Since 2018
Marcus King Band, photo by Alysse Gafkjen
The Marcus King Band have returned today to announce Darling Blue, set to release via American Records on Sept. 26 as the group’s first record since 2018’s Carolina Confessions. For their triumphant return to the studio, the acclaimed Southern-rock torchbearer King and his longtime live ensemble drew influence from the bandleader’s deep connection to his home state of South Carolina and the range of styles they’ve mastered through the years, swirling country, psych-rock, electric blues, jam and classic R&B into an equally searing and soulful sound.
“It truly felt like home,” King shared. “Like my band and I were just working out songs to perform live but ended up creating a piece of recorded music for our fans to hear. Our goal is always to be a vessel and allow the music to flow through us and tap into something that’s already there in the room. But more than anything I’ve done before, this album felt like a real concerted effort to make music for myself, and for ourselves as a band—creating for the love of creating and being as honest as we possibly can. We put everything we had into making something that we love and we have faith that the audience will feel that and love it too.”
Darling Blue is loaded sincere and sharp-tongued reflections on the personal revolutions that frontman King has faced in his travels since the band’s last offering–during which he’s turned over the triumphant solo records El Dorado, Young Blood and just last year Mood Swings, which dove deep into his mental health journey and recovery from addiction with Rick Rubin behind the boards. Following the advance singles “Honky Tonk Hell” and “Carolina Honey,” the band has previewed the record today with “Carry Me Home” and “Here Today,” the latter of which they recorded with Jamey Johnson and Kaitlin Butts in that organic way that happens when you’re just hanging out with friends instead of being on the clock,” King said.
Darling Blue is available to pre-order now. Listen to “Here Today” and “Carry Me Home” below, and read on for the album’s full tracklist.
Read King’s 2024 Relix cover story here.
Darling Blue – Marcus King Band:
1. On & On
2. Here Today ft. Jamey Johnson & Kaitlin Butts
3. Honky Tonk Hell
4. Heartlands
5. Die Alone
6. Somebody Else ft. Jesse Welles
7. Levi’s & Goodbyes
8. Carolina Honey
9. No Room For Blue
10. Blue Ridge Mountain Moon
