Album Review: Mac DeMarco strums at the heartstrings on latest album “Guitar”

Sinéad Brady
Wed, 20 Aug 2025 23:52:52 +0000
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Mac DeMarco releases his new album, “Guitar,” Friday. Credit: Courtesy of Jessica Linker

Mac DeMarco’s new album “Guitar” is set for release through Mac’s Record Label Friday. A reliable album by a reliable artist, the Canadian indie singer-songwriter’s sixth album features stripped-down sound and honest lyrics, through which he creates an aching, intimate and cozy environment.

Running at 12 songs and a little over 30 minutes long, according to DeMarco in the album’s press release, “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.”?

This will be the singer-songwriter’s first release since the monumental “One Wayne G,” released in April 2023, which at approximately nine and a half hours long, features 199 songs almost exclusively titled by eight-digit numerical sequences.

According to DeMarco’s press release, “[‘Guitar’] was written and recorded in its entirety between November 16th and 28th in 2024 at my house in Los Angeles.”?

An impressively independent process, down to self-releasing on Mac’s Record Label, DeMarco said “I did everything alone, except for the mastering. That was done by David Ives. I shot the music videos and album artwork on tripods and mixed everything in Canada a few weeks after finishing recording.”?

The songs include only one vocal track, constant, un intrusive rhythm guitar, bass and drums, with most of the songs also featuring lead guitar and occasional, decisively placed backup vocals.?

While it is solitary both by sound and by nature, the album is warm and does not feel lonely, due to the guitar which goes with DeMarco’s voice, providing a constant, comforting presence.

A “textbook breakup album” in a certain sense, DeMarco works through a complex slate of feelings surrounding a painful broken relationship on “Guitar,” both missing his past lover and wishing her well in her absence.?

Mac DeMarco releases his new album, “Guitar,” Friday. Credit: Courtesy of Jessica Linker

Teetering between haunting and comforting, “Guitar” has a unique sense of beauty to it, like the simple things that bring comfort in the parts of winter when there are no holidays nearby.?

One song which stood out as being central to the album is “Nothing at all,” in which the lead guitar duetted DeMarco’s vocals, echoing the end of his verses and “singing along” with him in the chorus. The song sounded like a stripped-down slow dance between DeMarco’s vocals and his guitar, underlining the absence of the girl who he is singing about.?

Nevertheless, both the song and the album do not feel lonely because the guitar is a sweet companion throughout.?

Another standout song on the album was the album’s second single, “Holy.” By track 11, I had settled comfortably into the world DeMarco had created thus far with the album.?

While this song’s sound is still cohesive with the album, the one-word chorus, “Holy,” features DeMarco singing in a much lower voice than usual alongside a lonely lead guitar, played in a semi-cowboyesque tone, giving the song an alluring frosty edge that keeps you coming back.

Eager fans need not fret about the length of time elapsed between the release of “One Wayne G” and “Guitar,” as the singer-songwriter hinted at another possible album in the works.?

“I had written and recorded another record [called ‘Hear The Music’] in the first half of November, but during the process of re-recording the demos I decided to stop and start over.”?

DeMarco did not provide a release date or any further details about the project.?

DeMarco closed his press release with a message of love.

“I’m happy to share this music, and look forward to playing these songs as many places as I’m able. Thank you for listening, hope you enjoy, lots of love, Mac D.”