Mac Demarco – “2”

Surf Rock/Psychedelic Rock

Tired of hearing the same jangly, cookie cutter blues-rock over and over? Then look no further.

I feel like I could sell Mac Demarco’s second album release, “2”, like an infomercial.
Truthfully, I am a little tired of rock music, and Mac is pitching the genre to me like I’ve never heard it before.

Demarco, a 23-year old Montreal native said as a teenager he put down his $1,600 jazz guitar to instead pick up a “crappier” one.

The album “2” indicates he’s been pursuing that grungy, garage rock sound since his high school days with some degree of fervor, and in doing so, he’s taken on the role of modern-day Steely Dan comfortably.

Amidst the push for indie influences in rock music, Demarco’s nailed the idea of using psychedelic elements in a way that isn’t overbearing — it’s a washed over retro sound ,minus the headache.

Demarco’s soft-spoken, surfy tunes play like something I’d hear out of my radio while lounging on Venice Beach in the ‘70s. At other times it sounds like he’s a strum away from ripping the strings out of his guitar.

The multi-instrumentalist is dynamic, and I think that’s why I buy into his product.

More than anything, it’s the subtle samples and various interjected whistles that I feel make this album come to life.

From Demarco’s careful lyricism to his careless guitar riffs, there are plenty of understated components to read into on “2” that make a surprisingly adventurous sound.

Mac is cool as a cucumber, and he’s got the tunes to back it up. Check out “2”, out now on Captured Tracks.

7.5/10