Mac DeMarco // Here Comes the Cowboy

Mac's Record Label

3.5 Stars

Mac DeMarco is tired. And in all fairness, he warned us of this in nearly every interview leading up to the indie prince's fourth LP. Pull quotes about being uninspired and thinking the record would fly under the radar left some fans worried about the nature of the record, especially paired with a single as sparse and melancholic as "Nobody." While Here Comes the Cowboy is the spaciest and most inconsistent record in his catalog, it still showcases DeMarco's strong songwriting abilities, surprising attention to detail, and a longing to grow up. DeMarco conjures up "Finally Alone," a synth-heavy meditation on the desire to get away. This song, alongside highlights like the piano-driven "On the Square" and the surprisingly hopeful "All of Our Yesterdays" build a series of strong moments throughout, although some cracks do begin to show in the songwriter's craft. A song like "Heart to Heart" is a copy of some of DeMarco's best work, while a song like "Hey Cowgirl" is far from offensive, but regrettably forgettable. Still, if you're willing to keep pace with one of indie-rock's most innocuous voices, Here Comes the Cowboy is the kind of reflective experience worth sitting through from time to time.

— Aaron Mook