Guitar game recognizes guitar game on the new album by Marcus King, which finds the South Carolina musician teaming up with producer and Black Keys guitarist Dan Auerbach to release King’s first solo LP, El Dorado.
Due January 17th, the album is a collection of 12 tracks, all written by King and Auerbach with songwriters like Pat McLaughlin, Paul Overstreet, and Ronnie Bowman. El Dorado also finds King backed up not by his eponymous Marcus King Band (as he was on his last effort, 2018’s Carolina Confessions), but by Auerbach’s roster of studio heavyweights, including keys payer Bobby Wood, drummer Gene Chrisman, and bassist Dave Roe.
The result is an album that expands on King’s established Southern jam-rock sound. On “The Well,” the first song released from El Dorado, King embraces the blues, firing off ferocious solos and singing about the fantasy of “easy street.” In short, it doesn’t exist, but that doesn’t stop King from pining for better times.
“‘The Well’ for me symbolizes the source of all my influences. It is everything that has happened to me to make me the man I am today,” King says in a statement.
El Dorado was recorded at Auerbach’s Easy Eye Sound studio in Nashville, where King now resides. In September, he made his Grand Ole Opry debut. On October 31st, he’ll launch a new tour in support of the album.
Here’s the track list and writing credits for El Dorado, along with King’s upcoming tour dates.
1. “Young Man’s Dream” (Marcus King, Dan Auerbach, Pat McLaughlin)
2. “The Well” (King, Auerbach, Ronnie Bowman)
3. “Wildflowers & Wine” (King, Auerbach, Bowman)
4. “One Day She’s Here” (King, Auerbach, McLaughlin)
5. “Sweet Mariona” (King, Auerbach, Bowman)
6. “Beautiful Stranger” (King, Auerbach, Paul Overstreet)
7. “Break” (King, Auerbach, McLaughlin)
8. “Say You Will” (King, Auerbach, Bowman)
9. “Turn It Up” (King, Auerbach, Overstreet)
10. “Too Much Whiskey” (King, Auerbach, Overstreet)
11. “Love Song” (King, Auerbach, Bobby Wood)
12. “No Pain” (King, Auerbach, McLaughlin)
October 31 — Kansas City, MO @ The Truman
November 1 — Wichita, KS @ Orpheum Theatre
November 2 — Columbia, MO @ The Blue Note
November 3 — Omaha, NE @ Slowdown
November 5 — Fayetteville, AR @ George’s Majestic Lounge
November 7 — Birmingham, AL @ Iron City
November 8 — Mobile, AL @ Soul Kitchen
November 9 — Memphis, TN @ Minglewood Hall
November 10 — St. Louis, MO @ The Pageant
November 12 — Bloomington, IL @ Castle Theatre
November 14 — Cincinatti, OH @ Bogart’s
November 15 — Indianapolis, IN @ The Vogue
November 16 — Louisville, KY @ Mercury Ballroom
November 17 — Milwaukee, WI @ Turner Hall
November 19 — Grand Rapids, MI @ The Intersection
November 21 — Iowa City, IA @ The Englert Theatre
November 22 — Minneapolis, MN @ Varsity Theater
November 23 — Madison, WI @ Majestic Theatre
December 3 — Macon, GA @ Macon City Auditorium (solo)
December 5 — Knoxville, TN @ Bijou Theatre
December 6 — Durham, NC @ Carolina Theater
December 7 — Pittsburgh, PA @ Mr. Smalls Theatre
December 8 — Washington DC @ 9:30 Club
December 10 — Philadelphia, PA @ Theatre of Living Arts
December 12 — Detroit, MI @ St. Andrew’s Hall
December 13 — Columbus, OH @ Newport Music Hall
December 14 — Chicago, IL @ Thalia Hall
December 15 — Chicago, IL @ Thalia Hall
December 17 — Cleveland, OH @ House of Blues
December 18 — Toronto, ON @ Danforth Music Hall
December 19 — Buffalo, NY @ Town Ballroom
December 20 — Northampton, MA @ Calvin Theatre & Perf Arts Center
December 21 — New York, NY @ Beacon Theatre
January 7-12 — Jam Cruise 2020
January 24-28 — Puerto Alvaro Obregon, Mexico @ Panic En La Playa Nueve
April 10-12 — Tyagarah, Australia @ Byron Bay Bluesfest