This Old Dog
Mac DeMarco
Recommended for:
Folk music fans
Summer playlists
Pros:
Pleasant acoustic rhythms
Dreamy guitar riffs
Simple, catchy melodies
Cons:
Not a lot of Energy
Lyrics were essentially all on the sad side
Mac DeMarco is back with a new album of smooth tunes for us all. This Old Dog is the third full-length studio release from the Canadian singer-songwriter. DeMarco wrote and recorded all instruments on this record as well as worked on the production, mixing, and engineering along with some mastering help from David Ives and mixing from Shags Chamberlain. The album was released on May 5, 2017 through Captured Tracks.
Mac DeMarco (born McBriare Samuel Lanyon DeMarco) is a name I’ve heard floating around for the last couple years but never bothered to look into. I figured he was one of those underground folk singers who never really amounts to anything. I figured horribly wrong.
With This Old Dog, DeMarco has accomplished the difficult feat of making sad lyrics sound extremely happy. If you didn’t pay attention to the words, you might think this is the perfect summer album (and it still might be). But after a closer listen, you hear some deep, emotional storytelling by Mac. He essentially dishes out the blues on this one, but spices things up with his own unique sound.
It was most impressive to learn that Mac is essentially a one man recording machine. I had the privilege of seeing him live at Coachella this year, where he was one of my favorite performances. His band is so stellar and talented, I assumed (wrongly) that they must help with the recording process. Turns out Mr. DeMarco handle almost the whole process on his own with a little help from his friends.
Musically, the album has a pleasant amount of diversity, ranging from “just a little upbeat” to “almost a ballad”. Mac describes the songs as smooth tunes and I can’t think of a better way to describe them. It’s the perfect soundtrack to riding your bike around the beach on a sunny day. His melodies are simple and catchy, and dreamy guitar riffs glide playfully across the acoustic rhythm.
A few more synth lines than expected were included on these tracks, signaling DeMarco’s attempt to progress and develop his sound. I would definitely say he has honed in his style, and his production quality. I would not say this album is a huge leap from his past music. At the rate he released new material, we shouldn't have to wait long to see if he is indeed moving things towards a less acoustic direction.
If you're looking for high intensity music to get wild to, this certainly is not what you're looking for, and some might argue it could use some more energy. I would be curious to see what that might look like. I could see him venturing into the psych-pop genre with the likes of bands such as Tame Impala and Beach House. But all in all, I was quite pleasantly surprised with how much I enjoyed This Old Dog. There weren't really any glaring issues with it, and it will make your ears happy, go check it out.
Favorite songs: “Still Beating”, “A Wolf Who Wears Sheeps Clothes”
8/10
