10 Southern Rock Albums Every Music Fan Should Own

10. Marcus King – El Dorado (2020)

Marcus King is a man who takes his music seriously. At only 24, the affable King, who inherited his grandfather and father’s love of the guitar, set out to give himself a musical education, studying artists as diverse as Stevie Ray Vaughn, Duane Allman, Miles Davis, and Aretha Franklin; absorbing their very essence and transmuting it into the new, mellower R&B-tinged southern rock of his first solo release, El Dorado.

Produced by and co-written with Black Keys frontman Dan Auerbach, the album’s first single and standout track, “The Well”, demonstrates King’s husky, soulful voice and signature howling guitar, which soars to stratospheric heights, before fading out and leaving you longing, if not begging for more. Taking a multifaceted approach to songwriting, ballads “Wildflowers & Wine”, “One Day She’s Here” and “Love Song”, show off King’s tender side, while “Turn It Up” offers swampy Delta blues, and “Too Much Whiskey” has a notably good ol’ fashioned, honky-tonk vibe.

El Dorado is a modern take on the blues, with sweet guitar licks and a maturity that belies King’s years. For King, his guitar is an extension of his voice – conveying all the energy and emotion that a few syllables simply cannot.