I got to see Mooner in a unique setting last week when they played as a duo at Jerry’s in Wicker Park. It was a nice reminder of how solid their songs are, as I hadn’t seen them perform in about a year. The vocals were pushed a little further than a normal show, so you could really hear Lee Ketch’s voice singing his words. They play a form of American rock n’ roll that a lot of bands shy away from, with big bold guitar riffs and no signs of pretentiousness.

The new single off their album Masterpiece (Oct 9) is called “Alison.” If you’re like me, you immediately jumped to Elvis Costello. This doesn’t sound anything like that song, though it does have a little “Pump It Up” mixed in just to give you a little taste. Lee’s vocal delivery takes some influence from Elvis, but  it’s much closer to Tom Petty than Costello. That should come as no surprise if you’ve listened to Mooner at any point.

I haven’t had a chance to listen to the rest of the new album yet. If “Alison” is any indication of what’s on there, I know I’m going to be very pleased.

You can stream Masterpiece and pre-order here. They’ll be throwing an album release party at The Hideout on October 9th. Grab tix for that here.