Fun by Paw Tracks

In the years since signing with Paw Tracks in 2009, Mississippi native Dent May has made music that balances saccharine pop sincerity and campy affectation. His debut LP, The Good Feeling Music of Dent May & 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. Eager to explore different styles, the two singles released since the album, “That Feeling” and “Fun,” 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 split between his bedroom at the Cats Purring Dude Ranch and a small cabin by a cotton field 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. Underneath the shiny veneer of synthesizer filigrees and harmonious coos, May zooms in on such timeless subjects as the nature of friendship, finding purpose in a world that seems devoid of it, and dealing with insistent feelings of malaise. “Funk” is certainly a word that’s written all over the album, and May’s Orange Juice-ian take on it lends songs like “Best Friend” and “Don’t Wait Too Long” a sprightly boogie and conjures images of soft-lit rooms and mirror balls. When not thumping and grooving, Do Things bops and sways along the psych-pop avenues of “Tell Her” and the ascending melodies of “Find It.” Full of stylistic changes but retaining May’s singular voice, Do Things is a great step forward for the pop devotee.

Bio

Dent May writes and records homemade pop music in Mississippi, where he was born in 1985. He began songwriting at age 12. The following year, he started a band called Flood, who covered Creed and 311 and sold homemade cassettes to classmates. In high school, heavily influenced by Elvis Costello and The Cars, Dent fronted a power-pop band called The Rockwells. Feeling like an outsider in Mississippi, he retreated to the Internet, where he spent his time soaking in pop music and culture from around the globe.

After dropping out of NYU film school, Dent founded Oxford, Mississippi’s self-proclaimed “infotainment cult” Cats Purring. Since then, his musical endeavors have included a debut LP of ukulele tunes on Paw Tracks, dance recordings under the Dent Sweat moniker, and a mysterious unfinished psych-country rock opera called Cowboy Maloney’s Electric City. He throws notorious DIY shows at his home, a former Boys & Girls club now deemed the Cats Purring Dude Ranch.

Recent singles on Forest Family and Paw Tracks have found Dent abandoning the ukulele in favor of cosmic synths, funky guitars, analog drum machines, loopy bass lines, and massive vocal harmonies. He played all the instruments on his new album Do Things, which was recorded at the Dude Ranch and in a friend’s rural cabin by a cotton field. Do Things will be released by Paw Tracks on June 12, 2012.

Tour Dates

3/14 Austin, TX - KVRX @ Spider House - 2:15pm
3/15 Austin, TX - Solid Gold @ Cheer Up Charlie’s - TBA
3/15 Austin, TX - Paw Tracks/Carpark @ 512 Rooftop - Midnight
3/16 Austin, TX - WNYU @ Baby Blue Recording Studio - 2:10pm

Dent May
Do Things
(Paw Tracks)
Street Date: June 12, 2012
Formats: CD / LP / Digital

1. Rent Money
2. Fun
3. Tell Her
4. Best Friend
5. Don’t Wait Too Long
6. Wedding Day
7. Parents
8. Find It
9. Do Things
10. Home Groan

Links: Official Site//Facebook//Twitter//Label

“Capricornia” is the first single from the eagerly anticipated second album from Allo Darlin’ entitled Europe, and is due for US release on March 6, 2012 with the full-length due on April 17. The band are also embarking on a full US tour to accompany the album release in April, so look out for their effervescent, fun-filled live show in a town near you (see tour dates below).

Achingly personal, incredibly poignant and familiar all at once, Elizabeth Morris’ songwriting has deepened and developed since their debut, and while the upcoming album may have a more sombre feel to it “Capricornia” shows that they’ve lost none of their ability to create sophisticated, intelligent pop music with an uplifting, joyous feel. And for those of you wondering exactly what “Capricornia” is all about, Elizabeth explains:

“Capricornia is the area in Queensland that I’m from. It has imaginary state lines, roughly around the Tropic of Capricorn, which runs directly through my hometown. There’s a nice 70s monument that marks the spot where the line passes, out on a lonely dirt road where all the kids learn how to drive. My family have lived in this area for over 6 generations but none of my generation remain. It’s a beautiful place.

Musically, when we first discussed the album with our producer, I suggested that the feel of Europe should be somewhere between “A New England” by Kirsty Macoll and “Cattle and Cane” by The Go-Betweens. I think this song is the closest to that.”

Having built up an intensely loyal and ever-increasing fanbase, Allo Darlin’s reputation has developed at its own pace, from just one girl strumming a ukulele to headlining London’s Scala and touring all over the world. In their brief lifetime they’ve toured the USA four times, played sold out shows across the UK, embarked on an epic five-week European tour, and wowed the crowds at both Indietracks and End of the Road festival. The band have also been strongly supported by BBC 6music, recording several sessions including one at the prestigious Maida Vale Studios as Steve Lamacq’s choice for BBC Introducing. Their self-titled debut was released to universal acclaim in 2010 with plaudits including being named No. 2 record of the year by online retailer eMusic and a glowing 1,200 word essay by legendary Go-Between Mr. Robert Forster in the Australian critical magazine, The Monthly.

A slice of pure Aussie pop sunshine to brighten up the winter, “Capricornia” is proof that Allo Darlin’ will be one of THE bands to watch out for in 2012.

“Terrific, witty and heartfelt, like a less moody Belle & Sebastian” - The New York Times

“Say hello to Allo Darlin’: a welcome reminder that any aversion to cutesy music in recent years may have been due not to the aesthetic, but the quality.” - Pitchfork

Tour Dates

all dates w/ The Wave Pictures

04/24 New York, NY Mercury Lounge
04/25 Philadelphia, PA Kung Fu Necktie
04/26 Washington, DC Black Cat Backstage
04/27 Chapel Hill, NC Local 506
04/28 Atlanta, GA 529
04/30 Baton Rouge, LA Spanish Moon
05/01 Austin, TX Mohawk
05/03 Santa Fe, NM VFW
05/04 Tucson, AZ Club Congress
05/05 Los Angeles, CA Echo
05/06 San Diego, CA Casbah
05/08 San Francisco, CA Rickshaw Stop
05/10 Portland, OR Mississippi Studios
05/11 Seattle, WA Vera Project
05/14 Minneapolis, MN 7th St. Entry
05/15 Chicago, IL Schubas
05/16 Cleveland, OH Beachland Tavern
05/18 New Haven, CT Cafe Nine

Allo Darlin’
“Capricornia” Single
(Slumberland Records)
Street Date: March 6, 2012
Formats: 7″/download

A: Capricornia
B: When You Were Mine

Allo Darlin’
Europe
(Slumberland Records)
Street Date: April 17, 2012

1. Neil Armstrong
2. Capricornia
3. Europe
4. Some People Say
5. Northern Lights
6. Wonderland
7. Tallulah
8. The Letter
9. Still Young
10. My Sweet Friend

Links: Website//Twitter//Facebook//Press Page

WEDS. MARCH 14
RED 7 (RED RIVER & 7TH)
TWO STAGES
NOON - 6PM
FREE / NO RSVP REQUIRED

LINE-UP:

YOUTH LAGOON
THE FRESH & ONLYS
UNKNOWN MORTAL ORCHESTRA
KORALLREVEN
TYCHO
TEENGIRL FANTASY
LA SERA
YOUNG MAGIC
WE WERE PROMISED JETPACKS
AU
FOREST FIRE
WIDOWSPEAK
WHITE ARROWS
MR. GNOME

EVENT PAGE ON

Whether you’re walking, rolling and tumbling, flying, driving your car, or sitting still and meditating, wherever you go, Hair you are. You don’t always see the wild mystery that comes with everyday life on this rock, but your connection to the Eternal is always present. You just can’t see it. Today, you’re in luck - up to your frontal eye-lobes in luck. Ty Segall & White Fence have thrown their X-ray vision upon you and see the blood rocking through your veins and all the blood vessels in your brain. They can see them…

Hair it is - to stuff the cracks in your mental chrome dome. Hair for you to stare for awhile. Hair grows like grass beneath your feet, opens up your mind and reflects you in the fun house mirror - spreading past your borderlines, bouncing like rubber, growing and grooving towards the sky (with diamonds). Was it yesterday or yesteryear or is it happening now, on five-second synaptic delay? You were tall, you were high…you went farther than you’ve ever been.

Chanting to and from the dome is your living soundtrack and providing the Hairdressing for your psychic salad are Ty Segall and White Fence sitter Tim Presley with Sean Presley and Mikael Cronin along on the carpet ride. It unrolls from within them and in between them, and electricity takes many forms, from poppy lunges to acoustic strolls to freak-downs at end of the side. Hair gets tangled deep in clouds of guitars and drums and counter-riffs and percussion, then pressed flat with harmony vocals and compression. Whatever got them through the night, it launches the ship into the stratosphere. And Hair you are again.

Coming April 24th, 2012 from Ty Segall and White Fence: Hair.

Track List:

1 Time
2 I Am Not a Game
3 Easy Ryder
4 The Black Glove/Rag
5 Crybaby
6 (I Can’t) Get Around You
7 Scissor People
8 Tongues

Tour Dates

TY SEGALL & WHITE FENCE

3-2 San Francisco, CA - Great American Music Hall #
3-3 Los Angeles, CA - The Troubadour #
5-3 Portland, OR - Star Theater
5-4 Vancouver, BC - Waldorf Hotel
5-5 Seattle, WA - Chop Suey
5-6 Missoula, MT - The Palace
5-8 Minneapolis, MN - 7th Street Entry
5-9 Madison, WI - High Horse Saloon
5-10 Chicago, IL - Lincoln Hall !
5-11 Detroit, MI - Lager House !
5-12 Toronto, ON Horseshoe Tavern !
5-13 Montreal, QC - Il Motore !
5-14 Portland, ME - Space Gallery !
5-16 New York, NY - Webster Hall $
5-18 Philadelphia, PA - Johnny Brenda’s
5-19 Raleigh, NC - King’s Barcade
5-20 Atlanta, GA - Earl
5-21 Nashville, TN - The End
5-22 Memphis, TN - Hi Tone
5-23 Little Rock, AR - Whitewater Tavern
5-24 Houston, TX - Walter’s
5-25 Austin, TX - Mohawk (outside)

# = w/ Mikal Cronin, Feeling of Love
! = w/ The Strange Boys
$ = w/ The Men

WHITE FENCE ONLY

2-25 Los Angeles, CA USC
3-8 Pioneertown, CA- Pappy and Harriets *
3-9 Las Vegas, NV - Beauty Bar *
3-10 Albuquerque, NM - Launch Pad *
3-11 Denton TX - 35 Denton Festival *
3-13 - 3-16 Austin, TX - SXSW
04-22 Santa Cruz, CA - Santa Cruz Civic Auditorium +

* = w/ Thee Oh Sees
+ = w/ The Shins

TY SEGALL ONLY

4-13 Gambier, OH- Kenyon College [solo set]
4-27 Berkeley, CA - UC Berkeley

Ty Segall Links: Facebook//Official Site

White Fence Links: Facebook//Label