Don’t Fear Dent May
If you were an independent music fan in the Southeast in the 2010s, you likely knew Dent May. He was a scene-driver in Oxford, Mississippi, a galvanizing force that helped bring big shows to the city and plenty of notoriety, too. Plus, he made excellent music, including his 2013 masterpiece Warm Blanket.
Hopefully, one day, someone will author a memoir about the defunct Cats Purring Dude Ranch, the prolific house/venue/headquarters/movement where Dent and many other notable creative Oxfordians made magic… until then, you can search the internet for old calendar postings and long neglected social media pages.
Earlier this month, Dent announced his new album, The Big One, and released the titular single. At the beginning of the track, he reveals a lush – but uncertain – musical valley with an earwomy piano part that’s glued together with an airy synth. Then, his perpetually-chill singing flows into the mix (with a few falsetto twists along the way). Admittedly, I haven’t spent much time with his last few albums, so, when I heard his voice, I felt a distinct sense of familiarity, joy, and sadness. Plainly stated – no one sounds like Dent.
As it unfolds, the song carries an assured vibe that bursts open during the choruses when a well-timed, syncopated acoustic guitar slips into the conversation. Lyrically, it’s a mix of reflection and anxiety, with an eye toward a fraught future full of impending natural disasters, more AI slop, and who knows what else… I suppose “the big one” can mean different things to different people depending on your point of view and priorities.
According to Dent, “The album and song title 'The Big One' references the long-anticipated natural disaster that may or may not be coming to destroy the world, but the song is about any personal life-altering moment that shakes you out of your comfort zone.
"The biggest of the big ones is, of course, death, but life is full of many smaller moments when we are forced to confront the temporary nature of our lives. Ultimately, the song asks: in the face of knowing that everything will come crashing down sooner or later, are you going to be ok?"
It’s a solid pop tune, and it’s so nice to hear Dent’s voice again – even if he’s preparing us for the end. The album hits August 2026 courtesy of Carpark Records.
