San Diego record roundup (May)

Experimental pop group Mayor Taco Ghost and drone/doom vocal duo Vas Hermeticum both released new albums at the Black Cat on April 29.

Acoustic songstress Elise Trouw will celebrate both her 18th birthday and the release of her debut full-length Unraveling at UCSD’s Loft on May 7. “There will be cake, there will be free parking, and it’s all-ages,” she says of the show, for which Tolan Shaw will open.

Nearly famous former neighbor Matthew Logan Vasquez (Delta Spirit) will premiere Does What He Wants (due via Dine Alone Records) at the Casbah on May 18.

Nathan Williams and Wavves are dropping their You’re Welcome full-length on May 19 via the band’s own Ghost Ramp label, with a 36-stop North American support tour wrapping up June 6 in Portland.

Bossfight’s Daze of Gray album, produced by Marcos Curiel (P.O.D.) and recorded at local Stealth Studios by Steve Russell (P.O.D., As I Lay Dying, Sprung Monkey), drops May 20 at the Merrow. It was mixed by Clif Norrell (Weezer, Jeff Buckley, No Doubt) and mastered by Gavin Lurssen (QOTSA, Bad Religion, Social Distortion); drums were supplied by Ernie Longoria of Sprung Monkey. The album is being promoted with a 24-page comic book illustrated by Marvel artist FranzDG.

Abner’s upcoming EP was one of the first new recordings at King’s Ransom Studios after operator Jeff Sers returned to the boards (having been derailed for a time with chemo treatment for cancer), and the first single “Darkest Hour” makes its debut at Lestat’s on May 26. (Stream an exclusive preview by clicking this link.) “We invited our friend Jesse Lee from the Encinitas band the Paragraphs to open up the show with an acoustic set, and we’ll try out some new songs,” says guitarist Adam Baez.

Singer/songwriter Veronica May of acoustic duo the Lovebirds will play a record-release show for her solo full-length Awakened at the Casbah on May 27.

Jazz journeyman Nathan Hubbard has two new full-lengths this month on his Castor & Pollux label: Lattice Trust, with the ER Quartet (with GE Stinson, Steuart Liebig, and Alex Cline), and Hunter’s Moon, a collaboration with Vinny Golia.

Also new this month, Pumphouse (featuring Neveready members Declan Halloran, Patrick Hallahan, and Christian Clark) will offer up their Too Broke for Fun EP.