JD McPherson’s ‘Night Owls’ is a genre-bending whirlwind of a good time

I’ve never surfed. I’ve never ridden a motorcycle. I’ve never combed my hair back and felt like I was there Grease to hang around John Travolta.

However Night Owls, new record by J.D. McPherson and his fifth place overall made me think I could do all of the above. The guitars reverb to the max and are reminiscent of “Wipeout” and its works. dick dale. Drums often become a classic surf rock also sound. As soon as I enjoyed my surfing journey with tracks like “I Can’t Go Anywhere With You” and “Just Like Summer,” I hopped on the back of a Harley Davidson for the title track, “Nite Owls.”

The juxtaposition of sounds here works for the recording. There’s some seriously eclectic songwriting on this 32-minute album. The best part is that you go on these different journeys piece by piece, but never stray too far from the pocket of the overall sound of the record. So it seems logical to ride a motorcycle after a surfboard.

“Shining Like Gold” is a mid-album song that sounds like you’re going to prom in the 1950s. A lot of this is due in part to the guitar sound and drum beat, which is very “doo wop”. You don’t come across that much in mainstream rock anymore; so it felt fresh and fun to me.

If you’re looking for the best surf rock track on the album, look no further than the instrumental “The Phantom Lover of New Rochelle.” This song would have ended up on a Santo & Johnny record or an early Beach Boys album. Once again, John Travolta came to my mind; This time she was dancing in the restaurant. pulp Fiction With Uma Thurman. This piece played perfectly on that stage.

McPherson’s vocal timbre is at times reminiscent of T. Rex’s famous big man, Mark Bolan. Listen to “Sunshine Getaway” on heavy rotation Studio Oneand you’ll hear what I’m talking about. “Sunshine Getaway” is a standout track. The first ten seconds sound very surf/blues (which makes for a great tempo), then when the vocals start it really feels so fun. T. Rex glam rock vibe. This is not an easy thing to achieve – especially to achieve well – and McPherson pulls it off.

By the time the album approaches “That’s What a Love Song Does to You,” you’re entering classic ballad territory (think Simon and Garfunkel’s less exciting “Homeward Bound”). This song is different from the overall sound of this record, but it works. To prove this point, start the album again immediately and listen to “Sunshine Getaway” again.

Throughout, I kept asking myself, “Is this the same band?” I asked. It is, and this much musical diversity on one album is an amazing feat to achieve. Thank you to the band for mixing sounds and vibes so well and making me feel like I’m surfing or imagining what surfing feels like. McPherson’s previous recordings also followed this eclectic genre-bending formula, but Night OwlsThe most harmonious one yet emerges.

Must listen – “Sunshine Getaway” – “Shining Like Gold” – “Love Song Will Do This To You”