JD McPherson returns with Nite Owls on September 27 via New West Records. The 10-song set was produced by McPherson and is his first album of original songs in six years. Nite Owls follows his critically acclaimed 2017 studio album Undivided Heart & Soul as well as 2018’s universally praised holiday collection SOCKS.
Over the course of his career, McPherson has blazed a singular musical trail. It is one steeped in a deep affinity for foundational rock ‘n’ roll, rockabilly and r&b (among other mid-century American-made sounds) and filtered through a unique and alluringly idiosyncratic songwriting sensibility. The new Nite Owls is unlike anything in his catalog. While it shows McPherson further sharpening his songcraft in the service of ten, dynamic, and hard-hitting rock ‘n’ roll tunes, he has also reached deeper into his stylistic toolbox to incorporate elements of glam, new wave, post-punk, surf rock, and other sounds into the mix.
“To me, the thread between Duane Eddy (whom the album is dedicated) and Depeche Mode is that single-note, reverb-y guitar style,” McPherson says about connecting some of these dots. “So, it felt natural to blend that kind of big-string guitar thing with the classic stuff and a dash of surf. It made sense.”
“There’s no saxophone this time, there’s no r&b piano, but it’s a rock ‘n’ roll record,” McPherson says of Nite Owls. “To me, it’s the next logical step from my last one, Undivided Heart & Soul.” That album, it’s worth noting, was released back in 2017. Which is not to say he hasn’t been busy over the years. After the release of SOCKS the following year, McPherson released the Warm Covers 2 EP in 2023 which featured his interpretations of songs from Iggy Pop to the Pixies to Big Al Downing. He has also spent the last few years on the road with Robert Plant & Alison Krauss, serving as the support act on the duo’s ongoing joint tour — and as a guitarist in their backing band as well.
These experiences helped McPherson through a particularly difficult period in his personal and professional life. “I actually recorded a version of Nite Owls several years ago in L.A., but the environment within my band just wasn’t working at all,” McPherson reveals. “It was a painful time. And then the pandemic hit, and I went pretty dark.” To make this version of the record, he retreated to familiar environs, Reliable Recorders in Chicago. “I went back to where I made my first record, and it was a wonderful experience.” With a core group of musicians that have been in his orbit for years, they recorded Nite Owls quick and fast and live. That electricity and immediacy is baked into every groove.
Prior to the launch of the Nite Owls tour in the US (kicking off in September), McPherson will be on the road with Robert Plant & Alison Krauss both as a part of their backing band as well as with his own support performances throughout the summer.
JD McPherson’s Nite Owls will be available across digital platforms, on CD, and standard black vinyl. A limited splatter colour vinyl edition as well as a limited compact disc edition both signed by McPherson will be available via Independent Retailers. Nite Owls is available for pre-order NOW via NEW WEST RECORDS.
JD McPherson Nite Owls Track Listing:
1. Sunshine Getaway
2. I Can’t Go Anywhere with You (Feat. Bloodshot Bill)
3. Just Like Summer
4. Nite Owls
5. Shining Like Gold
6. The Rock and Roll Girls
7. Baby Blues
8. The Phantom Lover of New Rochelle
9. Don’t Travel Through the Night Alone
10. That’s What a Love Song Does to You
JD McPherson
New West Records
