There are certain album or song releases that once I find out about, I can’t stop thinking about them. Opening my Spotify a few months ago, I found out that Mac DeMarco’s upcoming album Guitar was being released soon. DeMarco is an artist who I have loved since middle school. Making an appearance on my personal yearbook page in the eighth grade, to soundtracking much of my time during COVID-19, his music has had an immense impression on me.
Looking at his newest studio release, it’s the thoughtful lyrics he brings to his music mixed with a new sound. A very important instrument in most genres, let’s explore how DeMarco’s seventh studio album, Guitar, plays an impactful role in his discography.
“Shining”
Within his album, directionality plays a huge role. On “Shining,” there are two women who the song centers around. I would argue that my girl and her are two different people because of the way he talks about them. And I wanted to want only you, my girl/ What more could I want?/ But my heart seems to have an M.O of its own. The entirety of this song is him saying, hey I thought I wanted only you, but I can’t stop wondering what her life is like. Telling his girl, You’ll be much better off without someone/ Who’s heart’s aching to see/ If the sun’s still shining down on her.
“Sweeter”
In “Sweeter,” he explores the idea of trying to reopen a relationship again, and the outcome this time things being — well — sweeter. However he reflects that, some things never change. There is a cyclical nature within this track and relationship, portraying a damaging pattern that although promising a new attempt, only leads to the same outcome. Now your hearts have been broken over/ And over and over again/ Heartbreak wasn’t my intention/ Let’s see how your love can bend.
In this song he introduces a cage, making it seem as though the person he is communicating with is birdlike. I say bird — instead of another type of animal — considering the last track of the album is titled, “Rooster”. Nature plays a significant role within his discography, with songs such as “My House by the Water” being almost entirely dominated by sounds of nature.
“Phantom”
One of my favorite songs off Guitar is “Phantom.” While being the shortest track on the album, it creates a really interesting blurring of the line between life and death. From the previous two tracks it can be assumed that the phantom is a woman, however the only distinction he makes within the song is that it is someone who he loves and who loves him. There is beautiful imagery of magic and this almost physical form of someone who isn’t there — and maybe never was. Was it real or just fantasy?/ Your phantom sits with me/ When I’m all alone/ I love you still. He has a really hard time letting things go on the album so far, and this song expresses the same regret and interest in the girl present on “Sweeter.”
“Nightmare”
“Nightmare” is the first song that introduces turning around and roads to the album. The track really exemplifies the phrase, “hindsight is 20/20.” It seems that he is talking to himself as he sings, There’s no turning back from this one/ Had you known that further down that road/ There’d be cryin’? He has to deal with the consequences of actions he may not have seen coming. I love that on this song, you can hear the instruments physically being stopped at the end. It creates a really raw edge to this song.
“Terror”
DeMarco creates a physically ugly image of himself within, “Terror”. He talks about his nature as if he is a leech and someone who is drawn to the light. Like a moth led to a candle/ That you have been burning all your life, he portrays the girl he is fixated on as light and life, and himself something that will destroy itself trying to get to the light. He also integrates the word “old” into his song describing death as, That old gift we all receive. This word is a key component of other songs of his, including “This Old Dog” and “My Old Man”.
“Rock and Roll”
“Rock and Roll” is another of my favorite songs because of how much it nods to other music. He nods to Smash Mouth when saying, Rock and Roll, I’m a believer. Furthermore, DeMarco nods to his first album which was titled Rock and Roll Night Club. Despite himself having obtained fame as an artist, he speaks to the nature of being a fan. He sings, No control over my feelings for that boy/ I’m down here screaming, overjoyed. The only outlying element of the track is the last line — Drown, drown — which visually offsets the image of selling his soul for fame, for something that he will never leave. Over the last minute of the song is an instrumental which is mainly focused on the guitar, something that the initial portion of the song doesn’t do.
“Home”
Home is a song that takes a different approach to a subject that is addressed across music. It feels like he wants to separate himself from the home he used to know, however there is a rift that he seems to have created himself. I never called, let our friendship dissolve/ Now my welcome’s worn out, and your hate for me’s grown. Whether this came from fame or not wanting to go back, he places himself as the one responsible for separating himself from his home. Although it covers a place where memories and people remain the same — similarly covered on Nickelback’s “Photograph” and Olivia O’Brien’s “Memory Lane” — he seems to be the one keeping himself from returning home.
“Nothing At All”
“Nothing At All” continues to explore the idea of the roads he gets sent down. All your cures, been put away, you’ve no control now/ Better off, but for today you’re on the road down. There are a lot of really beautiful instrumentals on this song that are similar to his other albums. Each song on the album is unique, but there are thematic and sonic elements that connect them together. He further explores sight, and the connection between him and the girl who has appeared in his previous songs. He sings, It’s always been all or nothing at all with you baby — only for him to later recognize — Up or down, all or nothing at all is all I see now.
“Punishment”
“Punishment” flips the idea of his soul presented on “Rock and Roll.” This time, he doesn’t want to sacrifice his soul, but would rather give up all his money. In this song, he is speaking to Mama, which could be his actual mother, or another name he gives to the girl. Within this song he contemplates the idea of what people are supposed to do with their lives; But how on earth is anyone to know/ If the lane you travel is your own? There are contrasts created between blood and the physical form, versus someone who distributes punishment and the existence of the phantom.
“Knockin”
Throughout his album, DeMarco connects his songs together. “Knockin” finds itself somewhere between “Home” and “Sweeter” despite being towards the end of the album. The song brings back the concept of bending, but instead of love, it’s the truth. Within this song, he almost makes the house where people knock cage-like. Filing memories away; everything/ every action you take; Knockin’/ At your door, will you let them in?
“Holy”
The penultimate song on Guitar, “Holy” displays a really interesting contrast between direction and being free. Miracle is repeated three times within the first half of the song, and seems to be something that he is wishing for and is not concrete. Curse is repeated three times as well, but this time in the second half of the song. It seems that it is much more concrete to him and is not something he can break.
Here, a really clear distinction is made between positive and negative, and up and down. This song is lyrically short, the ending having a really long instrumental moment. The guitar is heavily present here, whereas in the first part of the song, the focus is really centered on the miracle and curse.
“Rooster”
The last track on the album, “Rooster,” thoughtfully closes out every theme and topic DeMarco brings up over the course of his album. He reflects on himself, Darling, I don’t bite/ At least not like I used to, showing a change even if he hasn’t completely let go of who he is. He also draws a parallel between himself and a bird, singing the line, I still rise up with the rooster/ La,la, la/ La, la, la. Like a bird call, the repeating of la, almost creates a dwindled down version of what music and singing is. He also speaks about rising in a way that connects light and life back to him, displaying that although death is really close to him throughout the album, it still has not destroyed him yet.
Guitar is only 30 minutes, significantly less than the eight hour and 41 minute instrumental dominated One Wayne G — DeMarco’s second most recent album — and it creates a really well developed body of work. The themes and songs are some of my favorites he has released.
I tend to listen to songs out of order when I listen to an album, however, I think this album is really great when listened to in order. That being said, because the themes are so present across the album, the songs are connected no matter which way you listen. Guitar is a really great addition to DeMarco’s discography, and it is definitely worth streaming – maybe you can strum along on a guitar as you listen.