25 Records of Christmas, Day 12: JD McPherson

Some of the best music was made in the 50s and 60s. It's just a fact. Things were simpler back then, and the music was just emotion-filled. We didn't have electronics and tons of options when it came to making music. So in a way, the music felt more real. JD McPherson's debut album came out this year and when you put it in, you feel like you're transported back to those old days, the days of simpler times.

The first thing you'll hear when you listen to Signs & Signifiers is the striking resemblance JD McPherson has vocally to someone like Little Richard. The strong singing and stretching of the vocal, mixed with the upright bass just makes for the perfect combination. There's some modern pieces to the album as well, such as on the title track, which features a simple driving drum line, coupled together with background oohs and ahhs, all leading up to blues chords making up the bridge.

JD McPherson hails from Broken Arrow, Oklahoma.

While I'm definitely a fan of the current music scene and how electronic music has influenced lots of pop and rock, sometimes you just really need an artist to take you back to where it all started. This is real rock & roll, mixed with some classic R&B. "North Side Gal" is solid proof. Soul and his comparisons to Little Richard continue on "Scratching Circles", featuring some of the best sax playing I've ever heard. Some classic electric guitar finds its way into more tracks than not, but none more than "Dimes For Nickles", just a fun jam for the guys in the band.

Yes, I made a Back to the Future reference.

The fact is, JD McPherson could replace Marvin Berry & The Starlighters during the Enchantment Under The Sea Dance and no one in 1955 would notice. Marty might even still play guitar with them, and McPherson would look at him like he was crazy. This is old-time rockabilly, made in 2012. But McPherson and his band have proved that the old style still works today. Give it a listen and see if it doesn't belong in a Steak and Shake diner, as well as the player in your car.