Album Review: Mac Demarco – This Old Dog

Time comes for us all, forcing us to grow up. It comes for the athlete, the geek, and even the carefree prankster. On his third full-length album This Old Dog, indie rock icon and all-round slacker Mac Demarco takes a more introspective approach to his craft, as his age finally starts to show.

Demarco’s style of music coupled with his goofy, good-natured prankster personae are a match made in heaven. He looks like he just got out of bed, and his music often sounds the same way. On his previous album Salad Days, the production and recording sounded lazy, fuzzy and half-awake – whilst also low quality. With the release of This Old Dog, Demarco appears to be taking this album seriously. There’s a precision to every strum, key and lyric – and new additions such as swinging bass riffs and harmonicas shows that he’s still capable of trying new things – an old dog with new tricks.

Demarco’s style of music coupled with his goofy, good-natured prankster personae are a match made in heaven. He looks like he just got out of bed, and his music often sounds the same way.

Demarco’s absent father has an ironic presence throughout the album, with Demarco lamenting at the similarities he’s starting to see between them on intro track My Old Man. “Look in the mirror, who do you see? Someone familiar, but surely not me. For he can’t be me, look how old and cold and tired and lonely he’s become. Not until you see, there’s a price tag hanging off of having all that fun, Oh oh, looks like, I’m seeing more of my old man in me”. Demarco is well known for his goofy stage presence and music videos, but everyone has to grow up sometime, and his intro track sets a precedent for the rest of the album.

One Another is like a letter to a past-self, full of the usual advice you would love to give yourself. Failure is an important part of life, broken hearts mend, sometimes you’re better out of a toxic relationship even if you have feelings for them still. It’s an insight into the more adult mindset of the perennial joker, who may now have a few regrets.

Much like the man who wrote it, This Old Dog isn’t in a hurry to get anywhere…Demarco gives us an uplifting take on the type of angst that only comes with age and experience – one that I relate to as I enter a similar time in my life.

Sister continues Demarco’s tradition of paying tribute to a member of his family. This track, dedicated to his half-sister, is a touching tribute, sang over a distorted, palm muted riff, as he tells her he knows she’s having a hard time and that his heart always goes out to her.

Much like the man who wrote it, This Old Dog isn’t in a hurry to get anywhere. With a heavier subject matter than his previous albums, you would be tempted to think he might have lost his trademark sound, but it’s still a joyful and touching record. Demarco gives us an uplifting take on the type of angst that only comes with age and experience – one that I relate to as I enter a similar time in my life.