Chicago singer and songwriter Michael McDermott achieves a first and releases two complete albums on the same day.

Music has two personalities, a duality often characterized by quiet introspection and powerful proclamation. If you were a photographer, it would be light and dark. If you were a painter, it would be black and white. For a musician, it is acoustic and electric.

Revered singer-songwriter from Chicago Michael McDermott reveled in his creative duality to create a first – two full albums, one acoustic and one electric, released as companion works on the same day. Lighthouse on the Shore, the acoustic opus, and East Jesus, the electric collection, are out September 13 on McDermott’s own Pauper Sky Records.

“I guess my different personalities have always been a balancing act,” says McDermott. “One of my personalities grew up listening to early Dylan, Woody Guthrie, Odetta, traditional Irish music and Tom Waits. The other grew up listening to the Stones, The Who, Van Morrison and U2. My lyrics vary a lot, sometimes to great effect, sometimes with a seemingly unrelated collection of songs that never make it onto my albums. This time I thought I’d consider both, making a quiet record and a loud record.”

The quiet recording, Lighthouse on the shorewas recorded and mixed at Pauper Sky Studio in Orland Park, Illinois, with a stellar group of musicians: McDermott on guitar, piano, bass, and vocals; Heather Lynne Horton on fiddle and vocals; Matt Thompson on upright bass and electric bass; Will Kimbrough on guitar, banjo, and mandolin; John Deaderick on piano, keyboard, organ, and omnichord; and Katie Burns on cello. Lighthouse was produced and mixed by McDermott, with additional production by Deaderick.

In 10 self-penned songs, McDermott explores deep and resonant emotions with gentle melancholy and candid honesty. Here are four highlights:

“Bradbury Daydream” – A thoughtful, poignant ode to life-affirming love, even as we contemplate the end of our mortal days.

“I am not my father” – We are all our parents’ children, whether we like it or not. Coming to terms with this truth is the focus of this mid-tempo ballad.

“Gonna Rise Up” – A rave-up about survival and sobriety, McDermott renews his promise not to let the demons of the past take control again.

“Lighthouse on the Shore” – The beautiful centerpiece of the album, a picturesque, poetic confession to a love that serves as a beacon for life’s direction.

The loud one, East Jesuswas recorded and mixed at Transient Sound in Chicago and Pauper Sky Studio in Orland Park, Illinois with these great musicians: McDermott on guitar, piano and vocals; Heather Lynne Horton on fiddle and vocals; Grant Tye on guitar; Matt Thompson on bass; Steven Gillis on drums; Will Kimbrough on guitar and banjo; John Deaderick on keyboards and organ; and Gerald Dowd on additional drums. East Jesus was produced and mixed by McDermott and Gillis.

These 10 songs, all written by McDermott, grew out of a ten-year test of his sobriety, which made him realize that all recovering addicts and alcoholics continue to sharpen their life-saving weapons. Here are four standout songs:

“Berlin At Night” – An anthemic rock song that speaks directly to the war raging within us and shows that love is the fortress that protects us from harm.

“East Jesus” – Never let your guard down, for temptation is always lurking behind the scenes, just waiting to ambush you. McDermott sings with the conviction of a warrior.

“Quicksand” – Rhythmic rocker with groovy vocals. This song explores the everyday forces that try to pull us down while we try to rise above them.

“Head Full of Rain” – A breezy, melodic paean to hope that reminds us to think of sunshine even when the psyche feels like a raging storm.

Reflecting on his unprecedented feat of releasing two full-length albums, Lighthouse on the Shore and East Jesus, on the same day, McDermott says, “I always have leftovers, but this creative expansion has allowed for a greater variety of songs to be released, and hopefully to great effect.”

McDermott begins a series of concert appearances in early September to promote “Lighthouse on the Shore” and “East Jesus,” as well as the powerful “St. Paul’s Boulevard” in 2022 and a recording history spanning more than 30 years.