Lo-fi legend Mac DeMarco has returned with his sixth studio album, ‘Guitar’.
The Canadian-born singer’s latest offering follows his 2023 instrumental album, ‘Five Easy Hot Dogs’ and the 199-track ‘One Wayne G’.
Thematically, the new record’s track titles contrast sharply with each song’s light and cosy sound. Take ‘Phantom’, for instance; stunningly sweet in sound, but drenched in the gut-wrenching sadness only grief and lost love can bestow upon you. Singing “Your phantom sits with me / When I’m all alone / I love you still”, the track ends abruptly, before seeping into the similarly dark ‘Nightmare’.
Similar themes of self destruction and heartache follow on this track: “Smoke the whole pack / There’s no turning back from this one”, DeMarco’s words lingering like the tobacco-infused fumes he fixates on.
DeMarco’s signature, ultra-listenable acoustics and mellow, detached vocals have the effect of tricking you into a false sense of idealism throughout, but the lyrics on this record rank high on the list of his most intense and revealing yet. On ‘Home’, DeMarco delivers: "These days I’d much rather be on my own / No more walking those streets / That I once called my home / Because down every lane there are / Faces and names / That have memories attached / That I’d sooner let go / Sooner than I’d go home again.”
Though the idea of home is perhaps a theme overly romanticised within contemporary alt-pop, the bittersweet and complicated connections often associated with it are something DeMarco refuses to shy away from; something listeners will find a quiet solace and understanding in.
Weaving in themes beyond the tangible, the penultimate track on the record, ‘Holy’, sees DeMarco look to higher powers to confront the unhappiness and sorrow explored throughout much of his latest work: “Miracle / Reveal yourself to me / Miracle / Your help could set me free / Miracle from above, holy”.
Beautifully woeful and an ever so slightly premature autumnal feast for the ears, ‘Guitar’ presents one of the singer’s most stripped back records yet, despite his extensive discography and acclaim in the poetic, slacker rock scene. Tackling themes of love, loss, and belonging, the record stands testament to his ability to turn everyday struggles into beautiful snippets of relatability.
DeMarco’s sold-out UK tour commemorating ‘Guitar’ kicks off in late November, promising to be a long-awaited, intimate reunion that will stand as a fitting live finale to the latest chapter in his eclectic career.
Ruby Brown
Image: ‘Guitar’ Official Album Cover
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