Last autumn, Mac DeMarco handed out CD-R copies of an unannounced new album titled Dog On The Rock during his European tour. That wasn’t the sole secret, tour-exclusive DeMarco LP to emerge over the past year. Since then, he has produced three additional CDs, released under the names Seven Off The Two, Seaplane Dog, and The View From Tian Tian. These had previously been tucked-away gems for attendees of his live shows, but today the entire world is invited to hear them.
All four records are now available on streaming services. DeMarco’s own Mac’s Record Label, which has housed all of his music since 2019’s Here Comes The Cowboy, presents them. A quick listen suggests they carry the same loose, informal vibe that’s characteristic of his 2020s output. The majority are gentle, soft-rock instrumental tracks, and when he does sing, his voice often becomes a further instrument in the mix rather than the focal point. Seaplane Dog, which arguably offers the strongest cover art of the quartet, does include a couple of tracks with lyrics, “2 Madam Crown” and “Wave Goodbye.” Yet for the most part, it feels like stepping into DeMarco’s personal demos repository.
Whether that comes across as a data dump or a rare window into the mind of one of the most captivating figures in contemporary music is up to the listener. If you lean toward the latter view, enjoy all four CDs in streaming form on your platform of choice.
