Description
Over the past seven years, two LPs and countless tours, JD McPherson has gained a reputation for updating the American rockabilly sound. With his fat, fuzzed-out riffs (usually played on a custom TK Smith guitar or other funky bodied, automobile inspired axe) and accompaniments from upright bassist Jimmy Sutton, keyboardist Ray Jacildo, drummer Jason Smay and a touring brass section, McPherson’s last two records sounded old-school barn dance updated for modern ears, transmitted through earbuds instead of among hay bales. Yet, on his third album Undivided Heart & Soul, McPherson takes a slightly different approach, leaning harder on the first syllable of rockabilly. New beginnings and friendships also likely contributed to the sonic streamlining. Undivided Heart & Soul is his first New West Records and the list of collaborators is both long and impressive. During the writing process, McPherson worked with Queen of the Stone Age’s Josh Homme and Dean Fertita to transition from writing more fictional narratives to personal experiences for the first time. And during the recording process, other notable guests included Butch Walker on the mid-tempo “Crying’s Just a Thing that You Do” and even sharing lyric-writing credits with his wife Mandy on the escapist closer “Let’s Get Out of Here While We’re Young.” Plus, Lucius’ Jess Wolfe and Holly Laessig contributed vocal harmonies and drummer Dan Molad co-produced the entire record.
