Tagged: Mac Demarco 2
More Jizz Jazz! Mac DeMarco 2 is Finally Here… But is it Missing a Certain Something?
FINALLY. Thank you. Mac DeMarco‘s second compilation, Mac DeMarco 2 is here. We can all rejoice in more “jizz jazz” that the eccentric Canadian has unleashed upon us… or can we?
The “proper full length album,” released just six months after his solo debut, portrays DeMarco’s abilities as a singer/song writer more than ever. The LP is full of catchy, slow rock jams crooning about love, loneliness, cigarettes, and “Freaking Out the Neighborhood.” However, the album also seems to be missing a certain je ne sais quoi.
After a thorough listen, I’m left wanting more of DeMarco’s creepy antics, goofy spoofs and overall eccentric playfulness that makes him so intriguing, appealing and the genius behind his self-proclaimed “jizz jazz” jangles. Only at the end of “Ode to Viceroy” do we get a small glimpse of the sleaze he likes to squeeze in. DeMarco’s strengths as a musician are rightfully highlighted, however, in this highly anticipated album, his personality, (which is as prominent as the gap in his front teeth), seems to have been dimmed. Is this a result of backlash from wild live shows, or the pressure to produce as a ‘serious’ musician? The album holds its own, purely as a display of DeMarco’s raw talent, and his irony is still present, however, the A-typical singer-songwriter’s weirdness and downright oddities are surely missed.
Take a listen for yourself and stream Mac DeMarco 2 on Spotify. Here are a few of my personal favs (aside from those you’ve already heard) from the album:
If you want the full Mac DeMarco package, seeing him live will ease this need. This morning, I eagerly jumped to the end of the LP to listen to “Still Together,” as it’s by far one of the most captivating jams DeMarco sings live – it’s also the sweetest of the lot, including a convo between DeMarco and his “kind of woman” that makes you say “awww.”
If you have a chance to catch the goofy crooner live, he’s playing a ridiculous number of shows (9 total) in New York this week as part of the CMJ Music Marathon, then he’s off for a Euro tour. Check out tour dates here. If you’re in NYC, thanks to BrooklynVegan, they’ve done all the work for me in laying it all out:
Captured Tracks has a CMJ showcase at Music Hall of Williamsburg on October 18 with Mac DeMarco, Thieves Like Us, and Dignan Porch. Tickets for that show are still available. Mac DeMarco has other CMJ shows scheduled too, including the Panache showcase at Public Assembly (10/19), the My Social List showcase at the Martin Room in Webster Hall (10/16), the post-CMJ show at Bowery Ballroom (10/21) with Wild Nothing and Merchandise, and the just announced free Hype Machine party at Brooklyn Bowl on October 18 with Hundred Waters (who also play these shows).
New Mind-Melting Jams! Doldrums + Blackbird Blackbird + Southern Shores + The Soft Moon + Mac DeMarco
Doldrums – She is the Wave
It’s been a weird and heavy week full of road trips, suburbia-ville, hospital visits, uncertainty, and a general lack of enjoyable jams via local radio. Hence, there’s no better way to bring this bizarro week to close with a round-up of new mind-melting tunes that’ll thrust you back into reality, or a lack-there-of.
Montreal-based Airick Woodhead is the experimental brainchild behind Doldrums, and he’s producing some of the freshest, “mind-melting” music around. His latest jam, “She is The Wave” is from a 7″ to be released via Arbutus Records in November. The new jam contains that consistently catchy electro/experimental beat full of synth, scratches, noise, disembodied vocals and screams – It’s Very Animal Collective-esque and once again, unbelievably addicting. Seriously hoping this launches the creation of a full length album – We all want it!
Doldrums – She is The Wave (feat. Guy Dallas)
San Francisco-based Mikey Maramag is the “dreamy folktronica” phsychadelic wünderkind behind Blackbird Blackbird. His latest hypnotic release “All” comes from his highly anticipated EP, Boracay Planet, slotted for release October 16th.
Blackbird Blackbird – All
Southern Shores, the synth-pop Nova Scotia-by-way-of-Toronto “summer heroes” has released an EP, New World. The latest album (similarly to the last one) via Cascine is full of dreamy, tropical beats. Stream the entire EP on SounCloud here.
Southern Shores – Sankasa
Luis Vasquez aka The Soft Moon is the beloved darkwave noise experimentalist from San Francisco and he’s releasing his new album (via Captured Tracks), Zeros, on October 30th. “Insides” hails from the anticipated album and is the latest goodie rupturing from the depths of darkness:
The Soft Moon – Insides
The ridiculously talented and charming “Jizz jazz” weirdo, Mac DeMarco has a new album (hurry already!), Mac DeMarco 2, due October 16th. Captured Tracks has been slowly but surely releasing jams from the (do you sense a theme?) highly anticipated album. You’ve already heard, “My Kind of Woman,” so feast your ears on DeMarco’s jam dedicated to his fav brand of cigs:
Mac DeMarco – Ode to Viceroy
Mac DeMarco Show Recap + New Local Electro Band: Silver Hands
I saw Mac DeMarco play this weekend on his new album “2our” and it was by far one of the funniest, rockin’ and entertaining shows I’d been to in a long time. It was like a comedy/garage jam/freak show and I couldn’t stop staring, laughing and/or dancing. The crowd, which surprisingly wasn’t all that large, contained a slew of weirdos, geeks, hipsters, etc. and I couldn’t help but look around in amazement at the bizarro fan following Mac DeMarco attracted, obviously myself included.
The entire show made me feel as if I were some sort of fly on the wall witnessing a jam session in progress. DeMarco made goofy faces, flashed wide grins and bursts of laughter, burped loudly into the microphone, busted out Metallica solos in the middle of a jam, and at one point, jumped into the crowd and slow danced with a guy who I’m pretty sure is a bona-fide pedo. All in all, the show was ridiculous amounts of fun… though I’m sure it doesn’t nearly compare to DeMarco’s infamous stage presence in Montreal in which he got “cross-eyed drunk,” naked, and shoved two drumsticks up his ass… regardless, I’m not complaining. He DID play a new song dedicated to his mother apologizing for that drumstick asshole shoving incident, which is sweet.
Anyway, I JUST wrote about Mac DeMarco and his highly anticipated soon-to-be-released album, so in cutting-to-the-chase conclusion: He’s an absolute MUST-SEE live… unless you hate having fun.
While at the show, I also met a fellow DeMarco fan and in a convo about bands, he insisted I check out a recent local electronic duo discovery. I’m surprised by the next morning, I’d actually remembered the name, however, after a little digging, I found Silver Hands, and sure enough, I’m officially addicted. There isn’t much out there about the San Francisco duo aside from a SoundCloud page and a write-up on The Bay Bridged (apparently they recently played with Chaz Bundik aka Les Sins aka Toro Y Moi last week) but it’s enough to keep me and hopefully you listening:
Silver Hands – Skulls
Silver Hands – Visions
Here’s a bonus recent Mac DeMarco interview with CHARTattack:
Hopelessly Obsessive Over You: Mac Demarco & Holobody
Mac Demarco
I feel like there are two kinds of people in this world:
1. Those who discover a jam or band that stuns them with such beauty, amusement, intensity, or ridiculously sweet beats that it ignites an obsessive compulsive desire to play said jam and/or band over, and over, and over in one sitting…
2. Those who obviously never have this urge and/or find this behavior odd. A friend once told me that if she really loves a jam, she purposefully won’t listen to it on repeat and/or often because she doesn’t want to tire of it – This just seems unreasonable and completely impossible to me. Obsession over a jam has got to be some sort of ultimate, true form of appreciation, right? So in the spirit of sharing my ultimate appreciation, I present to you my latest obsessions: Mac Demarco & Holobody.
1. I’m hopelessly obsessed with the goofy/creepy/catchy Mac Demarco and his weirdo, soft rock, “pop jangles” that the Canadian often refers to as “jizz jazz.” His debut album, Rock and Roll Night Club came out in March of this year, and he’s announced another coming real soon-like (October 13th). Each jam on his debut album is like a keepsake of uniqueness, unraveling oddities that range from sleazy to crooning; see the charm for yourself in his video below. I can’t wait to hear what he’s got under his sleeve for Mac Demarco 2 – I’ve already picked up my ticket to see him in San Francisco at the Rickshaw Stop in September – He’s on tour now, catch the “creep” while you can!
Mac Demarco – Rock and Roll Night Club
Mac Demarco – My Kind of Woman (This one’s from the new album)
Holobody
2. Holobody consists of siblings Luke and Charlotte Loseth who refer to themselves by their faux/pseudo/stage names: Felix Green and Sea Oleena. They’re originally from Saskatchewan, Canada but now live in Montreal and make dreamy, pyschadelic, experimental, indie, shoegaze pop. Their debut album Riverhood was released in May of this year and I’ve had it on repeat incessantly, specifically the jam Prelude. They also have a ‘zany’ tumblr that features musical goodies including mixes, solo songs, etc. You can stream Riverhood in its entirety and/or discover their individual solo projects on bandcamp too.
coco stereo 