Performer Notes

Following a move to California and a breather from several years of near-constant touring, indie hero Mac DeMarco emerges with This Old Dog, his third full-length and proper follow-up to 2014's breakout LP Salad Days. More lyrically introspective than previous DeMarco releases, the hallmarks of his now-signature sound are all still here, albeit with subtle shifts in emphasis. The heavily chorused guitar riffs, laid-back drum grooves, and off-kilter soft rock transmutations from his first two LPs mesh with the wobbly synth textures that came to the fore on 2015's excellent mini-album, Another One. Newer to DeMarco's world are the inward self-reflections and thoughtful musings on family, friends, and love that are scattered throughout This Old Dog. Confronting his own prankster public persona on the acoustic guitar and drum machine meditation "My Old Man," he sings "there's a price tag hanging off of having all that fun," setting up the self-realization of how quickly we come to resemble our own parents. DeMarco's father makes further appearances in these songs, most arrestingly on the spare and somber closer, "Watching Him Fade Away," which is easily one of the album's highlights. A similarly spare, though less maudlin mid-album track is also dedicated to his sister. As heavy as some of the moods are, though, it's tough to diminish that sly twinkle that generally adorns DeMarco's delivery and he can't help but cloak his newfound confessionalism in some sunny West Coast grooves, particularly on songs like "Baby You're Out" and "A Wolf Who Wears Sheep's Clothes." "For the First Time" and "On the Level," a pair of woozy keyboard-heavy ballads, feel like an outgrowth of Another One's love song experiment and likely have their roots in those same sessions. In all, This Old Dog is a logical continuation of DeMarco's musical explorations, but the maturation of his songwriting is what gives it gravitas. ~ Timothy Monger

Professional Reviews

Rolling Stone - 3 stars out of 5 -- "He's best when he's more earnest, both lyrically and melodically, as on 'My Old Man,' a sweet shoulder shrug toward the harsh reality of turning into your dad."

Spin - "[I]t's some of his best music yet -- a reminder that casual people are capable of moving forward, instead of sticking in the same place."

Entertainment Weekly - "THIS OLD DOG is a subtle musical step forward....'Moonlight on the River' descends from wistful yacht-rock into a haze of psychedelic distortion."

NME (Magazine) - 4 stars out of 5 -- "He can be the good-time, goofy guy with a reputation that precedes him, or he can be an earnest songwriter with serious bite. THIS OLD DOG sees him conquering this more mature side, without even a shade of boring."

Clash (Magazine) - "THIS OLD DOG is not only the part-time prankster's longest and most acoustically-powered record, it's a shining testament to his evolution as a songwriter..."

Album: This Old Dog
#	Song Title		Time
1)	My Old Man	More Info...
2)	This Old Dog	More Info...
3)	Baby You're Out	More Info...
4)	For the First Time	More Info...
5)	One Another	More Info...
6)	Still Beating	More Info...
7)	Sister	More Info...
8)	Dreams from Yesterday	More Info...
9)	A Wolf Who Wears Sheeps Clothes	More Info...
10)	One More Love Song	More Info...
11)	On the Level	More Info...
12)	Moonlight On the River	More Info...
13)	Watching Him Fade Away	More Info...

Album: This Old Dog
#	Song Title		Time
1)	My Old Man	More Info...
2)	This Old Dog	More Info...
3)	Baby You're Out	More Info...
4)	For the First Time	More Info...
5)	One Another	More Info...
6)	Still Beating	More Info...
7)	Sister	More Info...
8)	Dreams from Yesterday	More Info...
9)	A Wolf Who Wears Sheeps Clothes	More Info...
10)	One More Love Song	More Info...
11)	On the Level	More Info...
12)	Moonlight On the River	More Info...
13)	Watching Him Fade Away	More Info...