Late Checkout, by Dent May

"Sea Salt & Caramel" is taken from Dent May's forthcoming record, "Late Checkout", out August 21st on Carpark Records.

Late Checkout

by Dent May

supported by

Jean-Paul DuQuette AOTY contender right here. Excellent Randy Newman meets Beach Boys production and songwriting chops. Don't sleep on this one. Favorite track: Sea Salt & Caramel.

Tyler Senatore The Newest Dent May Album, Late Checkout, is arguably Dent’s best and most realized vision to date. From start to finish, ballads of loneliness, hope, tied together with the idea of change, will delight your ears. From ‘I Could Use A Miracle’ where Dent Asks, Something good is bound to happen soon? To ‘Bungalow Heaven’ a Fantasy every person has, but unique in the idea of its realization. Leading up to the most beautiful song in recent years, ‘Imagination’. Best listened on vinyl. Favorite track: Imagination.

Allison Mcsurely I love everything about this album.
It is a soulful getaway with the one I love.

more...

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Record/Vinyl + Digital Album
Pressed on Baby Blue vinyl housed in a single sleeve jacket, dressed in an inner sleeve. Includes a digital download card.

Includes unlimited streaming of Late Checkout via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.

ships out within 3 days

Purchasable with gift card

$23.99 USD or more
Compact Disc (CD) + Digital Album
Housed in a gatefold CD case.

Includes unlimited streaming of Late Checkout via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.

ships out within 3 days

Purchasable with gift card

$14.99 USD or more
Streaming + Download

Includes unlimited streaming via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.

Purchasable with gift card

$9.99 USD or more

1.	Hotel Stationery 02:45	buy track
2.	I Could Use A Miracle 04:08	buy track
3.	Didn't Get The Invite 03:10	buy track
4.	Sea Salt & Caramel 03:09 video	buy track
5.	Bungalow Heaven 03:18	buy track
6.	Bless Your Heart 04:04	buy track
7.	Full Speed Ahead 04:18	buy track
8.	Easier Said Than Done 02:58	buy track
9.	L.A. River 02:55	buy track
10.	Imagination 04:17	buy track
11.	Pour Another Round 04:31	buy track
12.	Late Checkout 02:15	buy track

about

“Full speed ahead now, no more looking back.” Dent May confidently croons on his fifth LP, Late Checkout. The un-nostalgic sentiment and sobering clarity of May’s latest body of work signifies the 35-year-old songwriter from Mississippi taking a reflective rest-stop on the winding road of his now decade-long career. After relocating to Los Angeles in 2015, touring his last record Across the Multiverse around the world, and building his own Honeymoon Suite Recording Studio with friends Pat Jones and Michael Rosen, May suddenly found himself with the chance to take his time making a record. Through the dozen thematically-linked tracks on Late Checkout, May grapples with the swinging emotions of our contemporary reality with a rare optimism and distinguished sound.

Bearing the torch of classic American songwriters that have inspired him like Harry Nilsson, Carole King and Randy Newman, May has gingerly cultivated his iPhone note scribbles and subconscious melodies into songs that could stand the test of time. Leaving the comfort of home-recording, May set out to elevate the production quality on Late Checkout while maintaining some intimacy through sparse arrangements. After writing and performing parts for a bulk of the instruments on the album, May filled out his orchestrations by inviting string players, a horn section, background vocalists, and a pair of auxiliary drummers to play on the album. Contrary to the instant gratification permitted by modern home-recording, May made a conscious decision to slow down and pay careful attention to his songwriting on this album. He began to savor the minutiae of his daily life spent wandering around LA, not getting invited to hang with friends, and waking up in hotel rooms after DJing weddings. May drew on these moments in his lyrics and began assembling ballads at his new studio, mimicking the bittersweet tone and consistent work ethic of Motown.

“I’ve been collecting stationery from almost every hotel I’ve stayed at for the past ten years.” May reveals about the album’s opener “Hotel Stationary.” “I’ve always been drawn to the nature of hotels. I think it relates to this sense of always feeling out of place and my constant wanderlust.” On Late Checkout’s first single, “I Could Use A Miracle,” May sings about the desperation of feeling down-and-out against a lush and upbeat pop instrumental. The groovy “Easier Said Than Done” is decorated with bright keys and syncopated drums while May sings about coming to the end of his journey to find love. “Sea Salt & Caramel,” spilled out of May as a saccharine love song to his girlfriend, adding pure sweetness to balance the record’s melancholy pallet. From beginning to end, May bares his soul on each track across Late Checkout, offering a reluctant goodbye to his former selves, before wandering home.

credits

released August 21, 2020

All songs written by Dent May except “Bless Your Heart” and “I Could Use A Miracle” written by Dent May and Jimmy Whispers
Produced by Dent May at Honeymoon Suite in Los Angeles, CA
Mixed by Drew Vandenberg at Chase Park Transduction in Athens, GA
Mastered by Dave Cooley at Elysian Masters in Los Angeles, CA
Additional engineering by Pat Jones
Mix assistants: Jimmy Dixon, Annie Leeth
Album art and photography by Harry Israelson
Logo and lettering by Robert Beatty
Design by Rob Carmichael, SEEN

Thank you to Allison McSurely, Hunter Giles, Todd Hyman, Steph Salas, Alec Moss, Beth Townsend, Anna Benefield and all the family, friends and listeners for your continuing love and support.

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Dent May Los Angeles, California

hotel bar lounge singer

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