Mood Swings by Marcus King

Review written by rifi14

Marcus King’s Mood Swings is an album straight from the soul that takes listeners through a spectrum of emotions. King’s music defies genre as he blends blues, jazz, rock, and country, reflecting his South Carolina roots. Mood Swings marks King’s sixth project throughout his career, which began with the release of Soul Insight in 2014 when he was just eighteen years old. King’s musical success can be traced to his upbringing. He grew up with his talented father and grandfather, both popular blues guitar players in South Carolina. Naturally, King was up on the stage by age eight.

In his newest project, King’s lifelong talent shines through more than ever and demonstrates his musical skill tastefully, yet unconstrained. King taps into a wide range of emotions which allows listeners to fully experience the heartbreak he expresses throughout the album. He tells of his personal struggles and reflects on mistakes made and loves lost. His lyrics open up about mental health with themes of depression and self-doubt throughout the come-and-go of relationships. King is brutally honest. He sings with unharnessed vulnerability and pain. His voice cuts deep and is tinged with longing and regret. It’s gritty, passionate, and reflects King’s southern upbringing in soul and gospel music.

Starting off the album, “Mood Swings” is a deep expression of inner turmoil that describes the ups and downs of depression. King articulates his emotions as a pendulum and expresses that he can only be himself around the one he loves, though she doesn’t deserve his instability. Similar themes are explored in “Save Me”, though more intensely. King sings about the contemplation of life and death in hopes that his love will save him from his own mind.

Toxic love is a common theme throughout the album as he reflects on his relationship faults and his outreach to people who don’t serve him well. In “F*ck My Life Up Again”, King tells of a lover who comes and goes, wreaking havoc on his mental state, though he wants her anyway. These themes are deeply relatable to an audience who may share similar struggles with King. Often people in an unwell state can thrive off of one another and take turns damaging and fixing each other. King explores this deeper in “Bipolar Love” where he sings about a hot-and-cold relationship, but remains hopeful that they can grow together which repeats a toxic cycle of loving and losing. Though King’s telling of his relationships is far from glamorized, we can hear a glimmer of hope in “Hero”. King admits that while he isn’t the hero she needs, there is a level of acceptance and understanding in their unconventional love.

Delving into the sound of this album, King knows how to stand out amongst the pop-packed crowd of new releases. His sound is unparalleled, breaking away from any definite genre classification but mostly existing within the realm of soul and blues. King is known for his guitar mastery, however, in this album he shifts more towards piano and strings to create a softer sound. His style is timeless. He wears his oldies influences on his sleeve while still remaining fresh and relevant in the modern music era. King’s voice is powerful, raspy, and soothing. His emotions seep through in every word, pouring out heartache to truly illustrate the depth of his lyrics. His voice comes through as a form of emotional release as though his music is a way of therapeutic expression.

Mood Swings takes the audience through an emotional passage and brings the listener along as he reflects on the hardships of love and loss. He sings of searching for somewhere to go, but even deeper, the album itself comes through as a form of soul searching both for King himself and for the listener. He is fully openhearted. His vulnerability is expressed not only his lyrics, but in his soul-dripping instrumentation of raw emotion. I found this album to be deeply relatable. As King sang about his emotional journey, I found an opportunity for personal reflection through his words. He both widens the door for the discussion of mental health and substance abuse within the music industry and invites introspection among his audience. He carefully cultivates emotional tension within the album and releases it tastefully. He remains honest and palpable without passing the point of relatability. Mood Swings pushes King’s audience to dive deep into his stories to fully feel the “pendulum” of sadness, guilt, and eventual acceptance that he instills within every note.