Marcus King's dazzling musical ability is full-on phenom: songwriter, guitarist, singer and bandleader. For their new album Carolina Confessions, King and his bandmates have created a conceptual record.

"It's kind of a story about leaving your hometown. You never really forget where you came from but you know there are other places to go and other places to see," King says. "It's also a breakup story. There's a song on there about a dear friend of mine and we lost last year. He'd be here now. So it's a lot of stuff I needed to get off my chest."

The band's muscular live energy wraps around this rising songwriter of unusual clarity and depth. Expressing himself musically, King says, has helped him grow into himself more.

"Absolutely. I think it's important for everybody to have some sort of an outlet, no matter what it may be. Just get it off your chest and out into the atmosphere or else you'll implode."

A1 Confessions
A2 Where I'M Headed
A3 Homesick
A4 8 A.M.
A5 How Long
B1 Remember
B2 Side Door
B3 Autumn Rains
B4 Welcome 'Round Here
B5 Goodbye Carolina