What's For Breakfast?

Over the course of a decade and a half, Dent May has carved out a nice little spot for himself on the indie pop scene. He convincingly plays the role of the nice guy, crooning sweetly over a gentle mix of soft rock, AM pop, and slow-motion disco that cuddles the listener like a broken-in fuzzy sweater. His 2024 album Whats for Breakfast? does nothing to dissuade people that hes a teddy bear devoted to being an all-around good egg, though he does give his usual formula an interesting tweak. This time around, he turns off the disco ball and gives guitars the spotlight in a way he never has before. Chiming six-strings propel the songs, jangling leads provide some melodic punch, and the overall effect is that of a 70s power pop band working at about half-power and three times the sweetness. Sort of like the Dwight Twilley Band if they were secret fans of the Captain & Tennille or Cheap Trick if they were hiding a fondness for the Carpenters. Even the jumpiest, most skinny-tie clad songs -- like "One Call, Thats All" or "Heaven on Wheels" -- come equipped with syrupy vocal harmonies, humming synth pads, and production slick enough that Jeff Lynne could take notes. Calling the record a power pop throwback only paints about half the picture, though, as much of the album is a further refinement of Mays immersion in 70s radio-ready pop. Hes not shy about whipping out synth drums, corny keyboard lines, midtempo love songs, or harmonized guitar leads in pursuit of his goals; while all the elements are working in unity to come up with something familiar sounding, in Mays sure hands, its dazzlingly new sounding. Theres probably no reason yet another Fleetwood Mac-y soft rocker like "Coasting on Fumes" should come across as anything but tired, yet May and guest vocalist Jordana imbue the song with just the right amount of restrained emotion to make it work. Likewise, "Cactus Flower" -- which is roughly the millionth time someone has done a take on the Beach Boys late-60s/early-70s sound -- should sound like a faded copy, but Mays strangely powerful vocals and the lovely even by the Boys standards arrangement give the style some unexpected life. Its pretty clear throughout the record that May was looking to expand his musical horizons on Whats for Breakfast?, and he does it in the best possible way by adding new sounds with care and not subtracting whats made his music so good in the first place -- button-cute melodies, pristine arrangements, memorable songs, and Mays very winning normcore persona. ~ Tim Sendra