Here Comes The Cowboy
On 2017’s *This Old Dog*, Mac DeMarco got serious—the LA-based Canadian singer-songwriter tackled personal themes like aging and family relationships head-on with slow, laidback melodies that went down easy. His fourth LP, *Here Comes the Cowboy*, is mellower. Here DeMarco unburdens his mind by embodying the cowboy ideal, an archetype he associates with a simple and unassuming life. He expresses a desire to escape on “Finally Alone” and “Hey Cowgirl,” both of which are punctuated with plucky guitar chords and soft snare hits. Of course, it wouldn’t be a Mac DeMarco album if it didn’t feature a love song or two, and he dutifully delivers on the plainspoken, romantic “K” and “Heart to Heart.” He tones down his usual jocularity throughout, but it’s not absent—take “Little Dogs March,” on which he kicks the cowboy image up a notch by adding foot taps that sound like a horse’s hooves. The dirty funk groove of “Choo Choo” is playful, a far cry from the album’s otherwise quiet and reflective mood—reminding listeners of his sense of humor with a cunning wink.
The latest from the indie rock rapscallion is an often pretty, occasionally frustrating record that was recorded quickly, but still sounds labored over.
The slacker hero slows things down on his fourth full-length album, finding catharsis in gentle instrumentation and thoughtful lyrics
For a singer that was always so charismatic, being just ordinary feels like a bit of a bummer.
On his fourth and worst album, the musician is coasting on idle hooks and the cachet of his supposedly relatable character
Having endured his surprisingly quick ascendance to indie stardom, Mac DeMarco took the breakout success of 2014's Salad Days in stride and merely carried on with business, refining his trademark blend of wobbly, chilled-out soft rock with increasing quality on outings like 2015's lovelorn Another One and 2017's more introspective This Old Dog.
With its heartbreaking lyrics and vivacious instrumentation, Mac Demarco's new album Here Comes the Cowboy encapsulates a liberating sense of struggle.
For several albums in a row, Mac DeMarco has revealed surprising new intricacies, moving past his slacker image to hone a signature sound th...
Since his debut, Mac DeMarco has managed to muster a plethora of acclaim from critics and listeners through his goofy personality, niche sound and feral
There's a gentle uneventfulness to Here Comes The Cowboy the fourth album from Mac DeMarco, a stripped back simplification of his stoner rock.
DeMarco has a knack for composing simple yet alluring melodies that feel weighty and timeless.
It'd be a shame if everyone treated Here Comes the Cowboy as the last stand of early 2010s slacker indie against the genre's more principled and inclusive...
'Here Comes the Cowboy' by Mac Demarco, album review by Leslie Chu. The full-length comes out om May 10th via Mac's Record Label/Royal Mountain Records
The Canadian’s simple and relatable balladry takes a jokey turn in his fourth album
The Canadian’s fourth studio album retains his velvety croon and his propensity for short songs