Dent May steps out of the laptop and into a room full of people on The Big One, a warm, slightly scruffy pop album made with a live band in Los Angeles. Piano, drums and accordion give the title track its steady, uneasy pulse, while “Second Wind” starts as a sleepy piano number before the rhythm kicks up and sends the night somewhere else. “I Don’t Like You (But I Love You)” turns unrequited love into a bright, stubborn singalong, and “I Remember…” looks back on a past relationship without getting trapped in it. There’s sadness here, but it usually arrives with a grin.
Released by Carpark Records, the album was recorded at Honeymoon Suite with Paul Cherry producing and Drew Vandenberg mixing. May invited musician friends into the studio without much rehearsal, letting the sessions shape the songs as they happened. That gives the record a loose feel, even when the arrangements point toward the handmade pop of Elephant 6, early The Magnetic Fields, or the grander side of Harry Nilsson and Paul McCartney. The results should land with anyone who likes their singer-songwriter pop a little odd around the edges, with real drums, open-hearted melodies and enough wit to keep the gloom moving.
