After the release of his charmingly tuneful, ukulele-ridden debut
The Good Feeling Music of Dent May & His Magnificent Ukulele
in 2009,
Dent May
underwent a bit of a sea change. He began recording uke-free dance music under the name
Dent Sweat
, releasing a couple tracks to the Internet but not an album. When the time came to record the next
record, he incorporated the synths, dancefloor-friendly beats, and uke-free approach of
into his sound, dropping them on top of gently strummed guitars and
May
's cutely yearning vocals.
Do Things
has all the hooky, good-natured charm of
Good Feeling Music
, but also a bulked-up sound that has more kick. Where
Good Feeling
might have inspired a listener to sit under a shady tree sipping a summer cocktail,
has plenty of that laid-back feel but it also may get that same listener up out of his or her seat and dancing. Tracks like "Rent Money" and "Don't Wait Too Long" have a burbling, midtempo R&B groove, sounding like the wispiest new jack jams ever, "Best Friend" breaks into a glittery disco trot, and "Home Groan" rocks back and forth like
Ace of Base
-style reggae. The rest of the record splits the difference between dreamy "
Beach Boys
produced by
Stephin Merritt
" ballads ("Tell Her," "Do Things") and upbeat, ultra-poppy songs ("Wedding Day, "Fun") that are easily a match for the best moments on
's debut record. Throughout the album, the newly synthesized and programmed musical backing fits perfectly with his songs, adding some dimension and extra stickiness to the melodies but never overpowering the homespun and intimate appeal of
's songs. His decision to ditch the ukulele was a winner, too -- it worked fine once but another album built around it would have been one too many. As it is,
is a cool treat of a record, filled with catchy and sweet songs that have a relaxed and easygoing happiness that is impossible to resist. ~ Tim Sendra