Following the well-trodden path of famous Oklahomans Woody Guthrie and Merle Haggard, J.D. McPherson has some big shoes to fill, but he finds his footing with ease on his Rounder debut Signs & Signifiers, a collection of raw country blues, spooky ballads, and stomping rock 'n roll that would make his predecessors proud.

Alongside standup bassist Jimmy Sutton and drummer/pianist Alex Hall as well as a host of accomplished guest musicians, McPherson's guitar work and vocals stand astride two eras, sounding both modern and retro at once.

Still, while the authenticity in McPherson's music and voice clearly hearken back to an earlier time, he deftly eludes any labeling with his fresh take on an old tradition, especially on rollicking numbers like "Wolf Teeth," "Scratching Circles," "I Can't Complain" and "Fire Bug," which bring a raucous energy to the album. The slower tunes are particularly affecting, such as the haunting title track and "A Gentle Awakening," both of which make good use of simple piano lines that lend an eerie vibe.

Other songs on the album are more direct links to the rock 'n roll sounds of the late-'50s and early-'60s, including "Dimes For Nickles," "B.G.M.O.S.R.N.R.," and opening track "North Side Gal," which has become something of a single for McPherson and a much-viewed video on YouTube.

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Carole King's The Legendary Demos is a fascinating peek behind the process of one of our most prolific and beloved pop composers. Although demo retrospectives have been packaged before, I can't remember when they've come from someone as important to American music.

The presentations range from King singing solo while accompanying herself on piano in the vein of her groundbreaking Tapestry album, to more fleshed out arrangements with a band and King-added backup vocals. Without bells and whistles or studio magic, what's left is impeccable musicianship and unadulterated creativity, qualities the lo-fi movement emulate today.

It's interesting to hear the evolution of style as the demos move through the pop landscape of the '60s. Teen idol Bobby Vee's hit, "Take Good Care Of My Baby," captures the angst and turmoil that was a hallmark of the beginning of the decade, an important period that transitioned American culture from the buttoned-down Eisenhower era into the let-it-all-hang-out zeitgeist of the hippie generation.

One of the most captivating aspects of this compilation is King's awareness of her target artist's individual sound and strengths. You'll recognize immediately that "Just Once In My Life" was written for the Righteous Brothers for she nails their signature sound with her vocal harmonies, triplet rubatos and chord modulations. The Monkees hit, "Pleasant Valley Sunday," opens with the jangly guitar and swooping 3-part harmonies that were staples of the group's persona.

And then there's the powerhouse "(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman," which not only helped break Aretha Franklin into a crossover phenomenon in 1967, but was also reprised brilliantly by King a few years later. There are elements of both women's unique approaches in the demo.

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OMG. Little Richard, the Architect of Rock 'n' Roll, is back, and sounding better than ever. Here's Little Richard, his game-changing debut album for Specialty Records, is now beautifully remastered, and enriched for CD with significant bonus material and an illuminating essay by Lee Hildebrand.

Once more, the man whose LPs I used to play at top volume to drive my mother out of the house is whooping it up, hollering, and having a ball. As Little Richard sings "Tutti Frutti," "Ready Teddy," "Long Tall Sally," and the other classics he recorded in 1955 and 1956, it's impossible not to be caught up by his youthful, all-barrels-loaded energy. The lyrics may be repetitive, and the piano's even-eight-note patterns very even indeed, but Little Richard's seemingly boundless elation gives notice that a new music is about seize and transform entire generations of listeners in ways their mothers warned them about.

Eventually, it was Little Richard who heeded the warning. In October 1957, after cutting his final track for Specialty Records, the great man threw in the towel for the Gospel, and gave rock 'n' roll up for God. His renunciation didn't last long. You may have seen his later appearances on TV, including the most recent, the 78-year old's wheelchair-bound 2011 performance on the nationally televised "A Capitol Fourth." But to hear him in his early-20s prime, with every falsetto yelp, raspy hoot, and high-flying holler intact, you must hear Here's Little Richard.

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The nation celebrates Record Store Day today. During the annual event, people are encouraged to patronize local and boutique record stores all over the country. To further entice people to support their local record shop, Concord Music Group unveiled a handful of limited edition vinyl releases. These collector's items from artists such as Linda & Paul McCartney, Esperanza Spalding and Little Richard are only available at participating stores.

For the past couple of days, we've told you about vinyl releases from The Dave Brubeck Octet and the supergroup of Jay Farrar, Will Johnson, Anders Parker and Yim Yames. If vinyl versions from those artists weren't enough to get you to the store, you can also find the inimitable Esperanza Spalding's latest offering Radio Music Society in a double-vinyl package as well as a 7" vinyl single from Linda & Paul McCartney, "Another Day"/"Oh Woman Oh, Why." And if you really want to bring the house down, pick up the remastered Here's Little Richard from the Architect of Rock 'n' Roll himself. Oh, yeah, and it's on red vinyl.

So, get out there and support your local record shop. And expand your personal library with some awesome collector's items while you're at it.

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