Dent May - Warm Blanket

Who knew disco beats and syrupy-sweet choruses could sound so forlorn? With gooey harmonies and enough falsetto crooning to fill the back of a semi-truck, Dent May is bringing back more of the sticky pop songs he introduced on Do Things. But on his third full-length, we’re getting a sense of the lonely undertones of such sunny music.

You can surmise the plot of “Do I Cross Your Mind?” by the title alone. The lyrics aren’t awfully complex. We’ve all been there, wondering when that unrequited love will notice we’re alive. “Don’t worry darling/I’m coming home,” he repeats, with a sad shred of hope that the object of his affection will anticipate his arrival.

The summer sipping-on-margaritas vibe of “Born Too Late” snakes around with a Bee Gees-esque bass groove, bursting at the seams with enough synthesizer magic to power a small army of flamboyant Oompa Loompas. It’s pure fun, much like “Let Them Talk” where May gives the middle finger to anyone who doesn’t approve of his relationship.

Elsewhere, the mood softens long enough for May to wax poetic about aging. “I think the future will feel much better than I feel now,” he croons. It’s an interesting sentiment amidst the thousands of his generation with a live fast, die young mentality. But for now, May seems content illuminating his loneliness in waves of pop mastery, allowing bold, bright notes to light the end of his dark tunnel.

Dent May - Do Things

Joyous harmonies in the vein of The Beach Boys’ Pet Sounds, disco beats, and the spectacular cheese of ’80s synths swirl around Dent May’s second full-length like rays of sunshine. An album this shiny and bright is a complete departure from May’s debut. The Good Feeling Music of Dent May & His Magnificent Ukulele is a collection of folk tunes with the aforementioned four-stringed instrument that charmed the hearts of many with songs like “College Town Boy,” where May crooned, "he's smoking reefer every day now/his tastes are awfully high-brow/college town boy/get off your ass and do something." But Do Things is a completely separate affair, full of bubbly dance numbers and the polish of a just-waxed dance floor. None of the charm is lost, though, in an album where lyrics are simple and to the point, and the beats are smoother than Jergens. “Best Friend” is a love song for that solid person in life that just can’t be replaced. “You and me is never gonna end/because you’re my best friend/honey, still my best friend” -- nothing deep, but undeniably relatable. And “Fun” could easily be your favorite spring anthem, crawling with rumbling bass, Of Montreal-esque hyperactive synths, and an infectious, hedonistic chorus that is so feel-good it hurts. Sticky and overblown, this could be an album that gets old after a few listens. Lucky for us, it just doesn’t.

Dent May - Fun

This is simply the only song in my gmail inbox that is going to get me going this morning. It's a far cry from Dent May's older material, which I found to be funny and charming (lyrics from "College Town Boy" -- "he's smoking reefer every day now/his tastes are awfully high-brown/college town boy/get off your ass and do something" -- are perfection paired with a ukulele). This first taste from his new album has a electro groove that makes you wanna shake your booty something fierce, but loses none of the playful charm of his ukulele days. Get this.