

As heavy as some of the moods are, though, it's tough to diminish that sly twinkle that generally adorns DeMarco's delivery and he can't help but cloak his newfound confessionalism in some sunny West Coast grooves, particularly on songs like "Baby You're Out" and "A Wolf Who Wears Sheep's Clothes." "For the First Time" and "On the Level," a pair of woozy keyboard-heavy ballads, feel like an outgrowth of Another One's love song experiment and likely have their roots in those same sessions. A similarly spare, though less maudlin mid-album track is also dedicated to his sister. DeMarco's father makes further appearances in these songs, most arrestingly on the spare and somber closer, "Watching Him Fade Away," which is easily one of the album's highlights. Confronting his own prankster public persona on the acoustic guitar and drum machine meditation "My Old Man," he sings "there's a price tag hanging off of having all that fun," setting up the self-realization of how quickly we come to resemble our own parents. Newer to DeMarco's world are the inward self-reflections and thoughtful musings on family, friends, and love that are scattered throughout This Old Dog. The heavily chorused guitar riffs, laid-back drum grooves, and off-kilter soft rock transmutations from his first two LPs mesh with the wobbly synth textures that came to the fore on 2015's excellent mini-album, Another One. More lyrically introspective than previous DeMarco releases, the hallmarks of his now-signature sound are all still here, albeit with subtle shifts in emphasis.
#Mac demarco this old dog spotify mac
It is another mellow masterpiece, from the DIY musician who genuinely doesn’t seem to care about fame or money but solely about the music and platform of expression it offers.Following a move to California and a breather from several years of near-constant touring, indie hero Mac DeMarco emerges with This Old Dog, his third full-length and proper follow-up to 2014's breakout LP Salad Days. What This Old Dog continues to showcase is the deconstruction of DeMarco’s seemingly slack personal life. With an easygoing attitude to life, the deeper message of this frankly exquisite album can seem a million miles away from what you may expect on appearances alone. Concluding track ‘Watching Him Fade Away’ is a short yet emotionally heavy sign-off which hints that DeMarco has began coming to terms with his unstable paternal relationship.įor people who don’t know what Mac DeMarco is about, the contrast in his work and his lifestyle can be a confusing picture. ‘On The Level’ feels a little like a Tame Impala track, swirling with liquid synths, offering a rest-bite from the extensively personal set of songs. Short but sweet ‘Sister’ also shouldn’t be overlooked, a warm sibling tribute that effortlessly slots in.

‘Still Beating’ pitches a memorable and bewitching track, where we hear DeMarco croon heartfelt lyrics such as “ Honey my heart still beats for you even though you don’t feel it”. ‘Baby You’re Out’ picks up the albums speed with a lively country twang lingering in the background, and this makes a reappearance in ‘A Wolf Who Wears Sheeps Clothes’ too, giving the album a rustic charm which is often associated with DeMarco’s work. ‘This Old Dog’ also carries on this pondering train of thought, a calming combination of introspective vocals and compassionate guitar melodies that paint the picture of a matured DeMarco. ‘My Old Man’ is intimate yet animated, a song with reflective lyrics about his father, “It looks like I’m seeing more of my old man in me”, but holds a misleading nonchalant nostalgia that doesn’t alienate the listener in the tale. A light is cast towards his family life, with the album revealing a more in-depth exploration of his feelings towards his father, which weaves the destination of this release. It was back in 2014 however that we last received a proper album offering from the Canadian with the hugely successful Salad Days and it has sure been an eager wait since.Īlthough not much has changed sonically, This Old Dog delves deeper into the personal life of DeMarco, a man with a reputation for being a somewhat insouciant character. Anyways, heres my completely subjective ranking of his discography. Im not really sure why to be honest, but something about Mac DeMarcos music and personality is just so entertainingly sincere, despite the absurd and eccentric antics.

We last heard from our favourite goof-rocker Mac DeMarco two years ago with the release of the mini-LP Another One and its following demo version. Mac DeMarco is one of those artists where I went through an obsessive phase with, almost exclusively listening to his material.
