El Dorado

by Marcus King

Overview

There's nothing at all wrong with being a guitar hero, but sometimes a musician wants to show folks they can do more than spin off dazzling solos. The Marcus King Band has won a loyal following among guitar mavens, blues heads, and jam band enthusiasts for their agile blend of boogie rock and blues that gives King plenty of opportunity to express himself on guitar. But for his first solo effort, King has opted to try something different. 2020's El Dorado was produced by Dan Auerbach of the Black Keys, and he's helped King craft a change-of-pace effort that should appeal to folks unaware of his work with his band. This is a more song-oriented set than King has delivered in the past, with the lion's share of the tracks co-written by Auerbach, King, and a handful of noted Nashville tunesmiths. The material is rootsy but strongly melodic, and the lyrics pack a significant emotional punch. The blues are still a big part of King's sound here, but there's just as much smooth Southern soul laced with sophisticated country on El Dorado. Here King is accompanied by a band of top-shelf Music City session players, and the backing is effortlessly smooth while still maintaining an honest and heartfelt tone. Auerbach gives King plenty of space to strut his stuff on the six-string, but he's put a greater focus on King as a vocalist. His instrument isn't perfect, but he's a much better soul man than one might expect, with smart, powerful phrasing and good instincts for how to pull the most from the lyrics. El Dorado might not boast enough shredding for King's usual audience, but if their interest in roots music goes beyond barroom blues into vintage soul, they should find plenty to enjoy here, and he's a more capable vocalist than some would expect, making this worth a spin for listeners who enjoy modern-day soul. ~ Mark Deming

Product Details

Release Date:	01/17/2020
Label:	Fantasy
UPC:	0888072118317
Rank:	7919

Tracks

1. Young Man¿¿¿s Dream
2. The Well
3. Wildflowers & Wine
4. One Day She¿¿¿s Here
5. Sweet Mariona
6. Beautiful Stranger
7. Break
8. Say You Will
9. Turn It Up
10. Too Much Whiskey
11. Love Song
12. No Pain

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Marcus King   Primary Artist,Vocals,Guitar (Acoustic),Guitar (Electric)
Paul Franklin   Guitar (Steel)
Dave Roe   Bass
Dan Auerbach   Bass,Fuzz Bass,Guitar (Acoustic),Guitar (Electric),Gut String Guitar,Vocals (Background)
Gene Chrisman   Drums
Russ Pahl   Guitar (Acoustic),Guitar (Electric)
Ronnie Bowman   Vocals (Background)
Matt Combs   Strings
Mike Rojas   Piano,Clavinet,Vibraphone,Glockenspiel
Ray Jacildo   Vibraphone,Harpsichord,Glockenspiel
Sam Bacco   Percussion,Vibraphone
Bobby Wood   Wurlitzer,Piano (Electric)
Billy Sanford   Guitar (Acoustic),Guitar (Electric),Gut String Guitar
Chris St. Hillaire   Percussion
Ashley Wilcoxson   Vocals (Background)
Leisa Hans   Vocals (Background)

Technical Credits

Pat McLaughlin   Composer
Dan Auerbach   Mixing,Composer,Producer
Ronnie Bowman   Composer
Richard Dodd   Mastering
Paul Overstreet   Composer
Bobby Wood   Composer
Alysse Gafkjen   Photography
Perry Shall   Design
M. Allen Parker   Mixing,Engineer
Caleb VanBuskirk   Assistant Engineer
Marcus King   Composer
Alex Skelton   Mixing,Assistant Engineer