Marcus King releases cover of Gnarls Barkley’s ‘Crazy’

MARCUS KING
RELEASES REIMAGINED VERSIONS OF
‘CRAZY’ AND ‘IT’S TOO LATE’
FOR SPOTIFY SINGLES
LISTEN HERE
Photo by Jacob Blickenstaff
YOUNG BLOOD
NEW ALBUM OUT NOW

LISTEN HERE

ON TOUR IN UK & EUROPE IN MARCH 2023

Marcus King today released two tracks for Spotify’s Singles program, an afrobeat inspired version of ‘Crazy’, famed by Gnarls Barkley, as well as a full band reimagining of King’s instant classic song ‘It’s Too Late’. Both songs were recorded a year ago, at the legendary New York City based studio, Electric Lady, home to classic artists including Hendrix, Led Zeppelin, Stevie Wonder, and David Bowie. Listen here: https://mk.lnk.to/spotifysingles

On the session, King stated, “Recording music at Electric Lady Studios was like a religious experience for myself and the band. We were greeted at the door by our dear friend and engineer William Garrett at the iconic entrance way of the studio. The downstairs neighbours complained about the guitar amplifiers in the bathroom, it was a dream recording session!”

He continues, “The songs were chosen carefully by myself and the group to fully represent all we can do musically. We started the day performing the opening track of Young Blood, ‘It’s Too Late’, this time with a brass section. ‘Crazy’ by Gnarls Barkley has long been a cover we’ve performed on rare occasions. It seemed befitting given the lyrical content of the most recent album, and where I was mentally at the time. We wanted to add a different spin to it so we decided to intertwine Fela Kuti’s ‘Zombie’ within our own take of ‘Crazy’. We hope you enjoy it! Thank you to Electric Lady Studios and Spotify for the hospitality!

These new songs, exclusive to Spotify, feature the esteemed Marcus King Band, cut while in New York on an arena tour with Chris Stapleton in 2022. Spotify Singles have generated six billion streams since the program began in 2017, and were created to give artists an opportunity to record new versions of their own songs, the songs of the artists they love, or an original song.

The release followsYoung Blood, King’s critically acclaimed album which is out now on American Records/Republic. With this album King continues to tear up the rulebookwith a timeless sound and a singular voice which have established him as one of the most soulful vocalists of his generation.

He will be bringing his stadium-sized show full of country, soul, blues and rock’n’roll to the UK and Europe next March. Catch him and his band at the shows below:

MARCH 2023 TOUR DATES
21st – O2 Forum Kentish Town, London, UK
22nd – O2 Academy, Bristol, UK
23rd – SWG3 TV Studio, Glasgow, UK
25th – Leeds Beckett University, Leeds, UK
26th – O2 Ritz, Manchester, UK
27th – The Academy, Dublin, Ireland

Tickets are on sale here

PRAISE FOR YOUNG BLOOD
“Blues guitar prodigy’s second solo LP, with added pop smarts… fervid heavy soul and hook-heavy blues-rock” – MOJO

“This second solo album from the 26 year old South Carolina guitarist is gritty, punchy and hooky” – Classic Rock

“The preternaturally gifted King [leads] a muscular power trio that rumbles like it’s 1969” – Uncut

“Much of the album was written in the wake of a bad break-up and the gut-wrenching lyrics are perfectly suited to King’s gloriously, sweet soulful voice” – The Sun 

“A Bluesy Rocker Who Stared Down His Own Crossroads” – The New York Times

Turned a dark period into a blistering rock album.”  – Rolling Stone Magazine

Marcus King is one of my favourites”Jimmy Fallon / The Tonight Show

“Stomps the accelerator immediately.” – NPR Music