By Stella Hufhines
Indie powerhouse Mac DeMarco just dropped his sixth full-length studio album. In his last release, 2019’s Here Comes The Cowboy, with hits such as “Heart to Heart” and “Nobody,” DeMarco had become the master of cranking out hit songs. When I heard the news of his new album, I was awaiting yet another indie music staple; however, I was caught off guard by the absence of lyrics.
In his new instrumental album, Five Easy Hot Dogs, DeMarco conveys the dreary, mundane feelings of traveling and making music on the road. I have always been intrigued by the “road trip” album, like The Fall, Gorillaz’s 2010 release. Through instrumental albums like these, listeners are able to peek into the artist’s creative processes while on tour, often sounding low-key and gloomy.
Despite it being entirely instrumental, the album undeniably has the classic Mac DeMarco sound– the reedy acoustic, clean bass, bleak drum kit, and, of course, the synth. Each song has a unique sound that personifies the city it’s named after. “Portland” is filled with robot-like beeps and haptics, while “Vancouver” has a fun, repeated guitar riff. Despite these songs representing different cities, as I listened through the entire album, they started to blend together. Similar tempos, instruments (such as the wood block), and rhythms throughout almost make for a 34-minute song.
DeMarco’s musicality is not expanded or challenged in this album, as the instrumentals are nothing brand new for the artist. However, I appreciate DeMarco’s accomplishment in displaying the personality and ambiance of the cities within his musical road trip.
Overall, Five Easy Hot Dogs makes for a laid-back, synthy album that is a perfect homework soundtrack or is great to have on in the background. I really enjoy how DeMarco depicts each city through his music, and I appreciate some of the obscure instruments he utilizes. It’s a fun listen, and I’m so excited to see what DeMarco does next.
Rated six out of ten.