Music: Mac de Marco

On the surface, Mac DeMarco’s music is a lot like the man behind it: chilled, approachable, and secretly competent. His voice is soft, soothing, and often sparse; his warbling, warped guitar tone makes it sound like your turntable is broken, but, like, in a good way. From 2 to Another One, DeMarco’s music has always been a decently easy listen, sounding effortless even though we can’t begin to guess the amount of work that went into them.

But beneath the surface – the odes to Viceroy and jaunty hooks – is a discography that sounds increasingly anxious and vulnerable. This Old Dog, DeMarco’s latest, is no exception. Though he releases music videos that feature guys in dog masks kissing Winnie the Pooh statues and pairs them with press releases shamelessly and inexplicably describing the plot of A Dog’s Purpose, the album itself is less jovial than the publicity stunts suggest.

On it, DeMarco sings about life and loss; about mortality. On lead single “My Old Man,” he sings about seeing more of his father in himself.

The Mac DeMarco fans ( including me ) who’ve followed his story know enough even without knowing the exact details. They know that DeMarco, born Vernor Winfield McBriare Smith IV, had his name changed when he was five-years-old after an ultimatum from his mother to his father.

Anyway, his music in the best in the world. I love him