While I am obviously a huge metal fan, I grew up in a home where a lot of different music played all the time. I was a punk and metal fan, but I also listened to a lot of classic rock, a little hip hop here and there, some country, some folk, and even a little jazz. There’s one thing that’s missing from metal sometimes: soul. That word probably means something different to everyone, but for me it means music that feels like a natural expression of emotion. It’s often associated with accessible music with good grooves that you just can’t help but bob your head and tap your foot to. Americana music does that for me, and right now Marcus King is the best of the best at it.
Where to even begin with that track. It certainly draws some cherished memories for me of listening to my parents’ records as a kid. I hear a little Ray Charles, a little bit of the Band, and a little bit of Bob Dylan. This is just a complete distillation of American music in the best way possible. It’s a wonderful combination of country, folk, blues, and jazz that can really move you deeply. It makes you tap into feelings that are universal across humanity. There’s something about this music that feels like a primal expression of the human existence.
Don’t think that this dude is only writing ballads on a Rhodes piano. No, this dude can rock in a very classic sense. After listening to “The Well,” it becomes no surprise how Dan Auerbach might have gotten involved. This is classic riff rock that has a timelessness to it that makes it always fun to hear. King’s voice carries every song on this record, but it works particularly well on “The Well”. The dynamic between the different styles on this record make El Dorado a must-listen.