Marcus King’s forthcoming album Mood Swings lays bare his struggles with mental health, substance abuse, and loss. At the same time, it is a sonic change of pace for the masterful singer/songwriter/guitarist. While his previous work is steeped in Southern Rock sensibilities, these songs are more soulful. Today, King released a stripped-down version of the lead single “F*ck My Life Up Again.” And as one fan commented on YouTube, it “is so good it hurts.”
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The sonic landscape of the studio version of “F*ck My Life Up Again” fits the subject matter like a glove. It was soulful and sad. Rick Rubin’s production played a large role in that sound including the song’s sole guitar solo being in reverse. However, few things are more fitting to a song this vulnerable than a single acoustic guitar and a powerful voice. That’s what King delivered today.
[Marcus King on Tour 2024: Get Tickets]
“We recorded this at Rick’s chapel in Malibu,” Marcus King shared in a statement. “It all felt very befitting of the album—playing these songs stripped down and raw on a miserable afternoon by the ocean—the waves crashing almost in rhythm with the heartbeat of the music,” he added.
This stripped-down arrangement changes the sound of the song. However, the heart message and vulnerability of the track remain unchanged.
Marcus King Was Hesitant to Record the Song
King spoke about the song upon its initial release last month. “I was hesitant to record a song with such a foul word in it given my Southern Christian upbringing, but there’s no other word I could find to capture the emotion I felt,” he explained at the time. “The anger associated with missing someone you know is only going to bring you pain, missing a relationship that only hurts you, feeling hopeless to the point of wanting them to come back because the only thing worse than the codependent hell you created together is the profound loneliness you feel,” he added.
King’s Tour Dates
Marcus King’s 2024 tour will kick off next month in Port Chester, New York at the Capitol Theatre. He’ll be on the road until the tour comes to a close in Columbus, Ohio at the Schottenstein Center in July.
- 03/09—Port Chester, New York @ The Capitol Theatre
- 04/06—Minneapolis, Minnesota @ US Bank Stadium
- 04/13—Augusta, Georgia @ The Augusta Common
- 04/19—Miramar Beach, Florida @ Moon Crush Festival
- 05/22—Rapid City, South Dakota @ Monument Arena
- 05/24—Sioux Falls, South Dakota @ Denny Sanford PREMIER Center
- 05/31—Cleveland, Ohio @ Blossom Music Center
- 06/01—Lexington, Kentucky @ Railbird Music Festival
- 06/06—Camden, New Jersey @ Freedom Mortgage Pavilion
- 06/07—Bristow, Virginia @ Jiffy Lube Live
- 06/12—Kansas City, Missouri @ T-Mobile Center
- 06/15—Arlington, Texas @ Globe Life Field
- 07/11—Darien Center, New York @ Darien Lake Amphitheater
- 07/12—Burgettstown, Pennsylvania @ The Pavilion at Star Lake
- 07/18—Toledo, Ohio @ Huntington Center
- 07/19—Columbus, Ohio @ Schottenstein Center
Mood Swings drops on April 5.
Featured Image by Unique Nicole/WireImage
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