Marcus King drops slow-burning new single, Blues Worse Than I Ever Had

Marcus King has dropped Blues Worse Than I Ever Had, the latest single from his forthcoming album, Young Blood.

Following the previously released Hard Working Man, Rescue Me and Lie Lie Lie, the new track, co-written with The Black Keys’ Dan Auerbach, is a slow-burning tune rooted in – go figure – the blues, flavored with subtle slide electric guitar bends and some faster lead-driven sections thrown in for good measure. Check it out below.

Blues Worse Than I Ever Had, King explains, reflects on a moment of despair in his life.

“At the time, I’d changed medications when I was trying to process the death of family members,” he says. “I was coasting through life like a zombie. When I’d get off them, I’d feel things that happened six months ago for the first time and crash down.”

Accompanying Blues Worse Than I Ever Had’s release, King has also released a live performance video of the track, recorded at Auerbach’s Easy Eye Sound studio with Chris St. Hilaire playing drums and Nick Movshon on bass guitar. Watch it below.

Young Blood is due to arrive August 26 via Rick Rubin’s American Records/Republic Records/Snakefarm.

The album is King’s second solo outing, after 2020’s El Dorado. In the time between records, the South Carolina guitarist has dipped his toes in the gear market, launching both a signature guitar, the Gibson Marcus King 1962 ES-345, and a signature guitar amp, the Orange Marcus King MK Ultra.

Take a look at Young Blood's cover art and tracklist below. To preorder the album, visit King's website.

1. It’s Too Late 
2. Lie Lie Lie 
3. Rescue Me 
4. Pain 
5. Good and Gone 
6. Blood on the Tracks 
7. Hard Working Man 
8. Aim High 
9. Dark Cloud
10. Whisper 
11. Blues Worse Than I Ever Had