There’s another version of Night Owls kicking around somewhere. JD McPherson recorded it in Los Angeles several years ago, and the underwhelming results reflected a turbulent period for the celebrated Oklahoma-bred singer/songwriter. Washing the slate clean, McPherson returned to Chicago’s Reliable Recorders, the studio where he made his acclaimed 2010 debut, Signs & Signifiers, laying it all down quickly with minimal fuss, using players he’s known for years.

Available September 27, this razor-sharp iteration of Night Owls (New West) is McPherson’s first collection of original music in six years. Delivered with a fierce authenticity, it veers effortlessly from glam and post-punk to vintage R&B, rockabilly and other McPherson touchstones. The album’s latest single, “Just Like Summer,” adds surf rock and new wave to that list.

“I grew up in southeast Oklahoma with some real characters with real stories—and this is about one of them,” says McPherson. “It’s a tragedy set to danceable music. It was the first song I wrote after I discovered that reverby, single-note guitar was a common thread between not just Duane Eddy and Dick Dale but also Ennio Morricone and Depeche Mode. Strange bedfellows.”

We’re proud to premiere JD McPherson’s “Just Like Summer.” 

—Hobart Rowland