• Reviews

• All
• Music
• DVDs
• Live
• Cinema
• TV
• Books
• Comic Books
• Video Games

Aug 04, 2015 Mac DeMarco By Will Moss

The independent music world can at times seem like a snobbish, closed-off community, dangerously close to drowning in its own pretension. It is increasingly important, then, that it have a few jesters to stir up the status quo. Over his last three full-length releases Mac DeMarco has comfortably made the job of music class clown his own. Whether it’s inserting a drumstick into his rectum onstage or performing an encore consisting of the entire band repeatedly playing the Top Gun theme naked, the Canadian troublemaker is the embodiment of the classic don’t-give-a-shit attitude that has formed the basis for great rock and roll for decades.

Another One is a continuation of DeMarco’s trademark tomfoolery. However, he uses it in such a way that it makes the sentimental subject matter of lost love seem like a temporary speed bump in the fun-filled road ahead. DeMarco is a master at finding the silver lining in every dark cloud, meaning that even the longing for relationship happiness on “The Way You’d Love Her” revels in glorious summer sun rather than melancholy rain. The whole mini album glows with a kind of stoned satisfaction; a peace of mind that can be found in even the most tumultuous of relationship struggles. “Without Me” and “A Heart Like Hers” meander along at a steady pace, with woozy synths adding to the sense of intoxication.

Yet this slight deviation in sentiment for DeMarco is a noticeable and welcome one. It reinforces the fact that he isn’t simply a joker, but a real creative talent with an undeniably infectious sense of humour. Such a combination is a powerful one, and means that DeMarco is going to continue being far more than just a crowd pleaser for years to come. (www.capturedtracks.com)

Author rating: 8/10