Young gun Marcus King enlists Dan Auerbach of The Black Keys as producer on this latest project. Young Blood combines blues, rock, and a pervasive swampy feel with southern-fried vocals and mondo guitar playing.

The single, “Rescue Me,” is an impassioned psychedelic-blues track full of humidity and a literal cry for help. King is equally adept at single-note soloing as he is with slide, and the slide-a-riffic outro is hallucinatory.

The album displays power-trio swagger with King up front and killin’. “Pain” is Exhibit A, as he wails in the classic Cream bootleg tradition with long-term soloing.

Although King gets writing assistance from Auerbach, Angelo Petraglia, and Desmond Child, he owns this musical universe. Intense riffage and pentatonic anarchy can be found on “Good and Gone” with support from celebrated virtuosos Chris St. Hilaire (drums) and Nick Movshon (bass). Though Young Blood is a bonafide guitar record, King reminds listeners that the song is the crux of the biscuit. From the relentless cowbell on “Dark Cloud” to the “Hey Baby” Ted Nugent aroma of “It’s Too Late,” young Marcus hints at 1970s rock in the best way.

This article originally appeared in VG’s October 2022 issue. All copyrights are by the author and Vintage Guitar magazine. Unauthorized replication or use is strictly prohibited.