Dent May

Dent May's debutLP, The Good Feeling Music of Dent May and His Magnificent Ukulele, put wry storytelling at its fore, but imbued each track with sweet strums of the titular instrument and earnest harmonies sure to arrest listeners' sympathies. Since the release of the album, we have seen May plugging in and finding footing somewhere between 60s psychedelia and disco-era balladry in the vein of Ashford and Simpson, a vibe he expands on with his new record, Do Things. Played entirely by himself and recorded in sessions outside Oxford, MS, Do Things finds the self-described "wedding reception band on acid" purveying the same heavy helpings of sentiment, but forgoing the jocular tone of his debut for a more contemplative -- but still relentlessly optimistic -- demeanor. Full of stylistic changes but retaining May's singular voice, Do Things is a great step forward for the pop devotee.