Dent May
Across the Multiverse
CARPARK RECORDS
7/10
Mississippi’s Dent May is a lot of things. According to his Twitter bio, he’s a “hotel bar lounge singer, daytime TV talk show host, tarot reader to the stars.” According to the man himself, he’s the proud owner of an extensive collection of Princess Diana memorabilia. He’s a little bit country. He’s a little bit rock and roll. He’s also a little bit disco, a little bit electro, and a lot throwback. On his fourth album, Across the Multiverse, all of that combines to beautifully address the paranoia and discomfort of the present and love in the time of technology.
May’s favorite artists include Serge Gainsbourg and Lee Hazlewood, but that doesn’t mean his music sounds like theirs. It’s much more reminiscent of Elvis Costello and Nick Lowe here. There are also strong Pet Sounds vibes, especially on the wonderful “90210.” May, never one to half-ass anything, made the song titles on Across the Multiverse as stellar as the songs. The catchy “Face Down in the Gutter of Your Love” might be the album’s best track, and “I’m Gonna Live Forever Until I’m Dead” is up there based on name alone.
On love song “Don’t Let Them,” May sings, “What can I do when Earth’s impending doom has got me out of my head and I haven’t slept for days / My mind is in a galaxy very far away but I’m here and I’m ready to lose it all today.” When times get tough, it’s easy to check out. It’s harder to be present. May gets it, and the work he’s put into Across the Multiverse makes it well worth waking up for. This is an album that’s packed to the gills in the best possible way. There’s a lot going on, and all of it’s good. You don’t even have to get out of bed if you don’t want to.
