Like a late summer harvest, Mac DeMarco yields some of his most mature, sweet and ripe fruit on his most recent album. Written, recorded and mixed entirely by DeMarco, Guitar is a moving personal portrait of an artist navigating the realities of life in his mid-30s: "I think Guitar is as close to a true representation of where I'm at in my life today as I can manage to put to paper," he remarked in the press notes.Part of DeMarco's charm has always been his humble, laissez-faire attitude, which has endeared him to millions of fans worldwide. His past is filled with outlandish, zany experiences — some good, some bad and some ugly — coupled with an impressive discography that has cemented his reputation as one of indie music's golden boys. Guitar carries that mantle, but here, DeMarco is considerably more attuned to the introspective aspect of growing older, growing up and growing out of things.The Canadian-born musician is notably sober, both literally and figuratively, looking forward and back on time with the acute distance only aging can bring. It presents an aspirational vision for doing things differently ("This time will be sweeter / I can be much sweeter" on "Sweeter"), but also finds acceptance in the passing of time ("It's just a feeling you'll get used to / Dimmer future / Things are looking kinda used up / Darling, I don't care / I'll still rise up with the rooster" on "Rooster").The age-old adage about not being able to go home again is certainly true on Guitar. DeMarco sings about his home in Los Angeles, as well as letting go of his attachment to its people, places and memories: "All those memories return / That I'd sooner let go / Sooner than I'd go home again" ("Home"). Parting with the past is not some cataclysmic event, but simply a phone call never returned. Similarly, on "Punishment," he sings, "Burn down my house, I'm ready to go / Backwards but without plans to regress." In DeMarco's world, time is not linear — nor does moving backwards necessarily mean a halt to forward progress.The magical realism woven throughout DeMarco's lyrics on Guitar also adds a uniquely whimsical effect. Often used to blur the lines between reality and the supernatural, magical realism disrupts our understanding of time, space and identity. The album has a spectral, if not slightly morbid aspect, which speaks to spells, fantasy and phantoms, as well as cracking open skulls to sip blood. On some tracks, DeMarco paints himself as "just a terror wandering" ("Terror"), and on others, he talks about a curse "carried on forever" ("Holy"). Ghoulish, no doubt, but effective in supplanting the everyday.Given DeMarco's heavy hand in the making of Guitar, including music videos shot on his tripod in Vancouver, the album stands as an impressive display of authenticity — perhaps his most impressive yet. Nothing feels forced; rather, the album gently unfurls at a languid pace. DeMarco remains the relatable everyman, his laidback delivery happily coexisting alongside his ever-present mastery of the titular instrument ("Rock and Roll," "Holy").In a world increasingly preoccupied with speed and automation, DeMarco is the one canoeing off in the distance, J-stroke perfectly executed, noticeably unbothered. It's not shocking that the artist entirely sold out his 2025 tour: his music reflects the realities of modern-day malaise with just the right amount of levity to quell the existential angst, never careening into a dark well of cynicism.Sure, the future is dimmer, and we're all getting more and more "used up," but the singer-songwriter finds solace in personal relationships. As such, Guitar is a more mature, wisened DeMarco. "Questions from your past that still need answering" and "answers that you gave to keep them wondering" ("Knockin") come back to knock figuratively on the door of our collective consciousness. He asks: will you let them in?
Wavelength
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