Purchased for a measly $30, the Japanese-built guitar sports a single coil neck pickup, generating his recognisably clean, jangly tones. And it all begins with Mac’s beloved 60s Sears guitar that looks like a prop from a Frankenstien sequel due to years of touring abuse.
#PITCHFORK ANOTHER ONE MAC DEMARCO MAC#
The sound most people associate with Mac DeMarco is his metallic guitar tones, of which there is no shortage of on Salad Days. Problematic as these hiccups may seem, they were imperative to the character of the album, and in conversation with Minsker, Mac reacts to the damaged tape by saying, “The guitars sound so fucked up It’s amazing.” Recording to tape requires both expertise and care – in particular, guarding the precious magnetic tape from volatile elements – but towards the end of the recording process, the eight-channel tape machine was down to six channels, and thanks to his close-proximity chain smoking, the tape had slightly warped. In the 2014 Pitchfork documentary Pepperoni Playboy, DeMarco reveals that the trick to his signature sound is “ all pitch control you dumbasses, get yourself a tape machine” as he jokingly bends the song Let Her Go into a beautiful sluggish mess using the pitch knob on his Fostex. Step 2: Equal parts Analogue, Tape and CigarettesĪ large portion of the warm, wobbly vibes on Salad Days came about through the use of analog gear, including a Focusrite ISA One Analog Preamp, his vintage Roland Juno-60, and most notably, his Fostex A-8 Tape machine. And without added opinions from musicians, cowriters, producers or engineers, Salad Days emerged from the womb as a very authentic creature, a reflection of DeMarco himself. Whether it was his prowess on the fret board, his no-frills style of drumming or his uncertainty with keys, Mac’s unassisted writing, performing and engineering on the album spawned a truly unfiltered product of who he is. Keyboard: I’m not super good at, but that’s fun for me because I don’t really know what I’m doing, and maybe something weird will happen, y’know?” In 2014, when American Songwriter asked Mac why he didn’t involve his band in the recording of Salad Days, he responded by saying “I feel like I’m most satisfied when I can do it myself… Guitar and bass: I’m okay at. This aspect of his creative process really shines on Salad Days, an album that was performed, recorded and mixed entirely by DeMarco himself at Jizz Jazz Studios – his small Brooklyn apartment. His music is directly a result of his character, not the other way around. Mac’s demeanor isn’t some façade conveniently reflective of his music used to sell records to young rebellious teens. It’s time to grow up and eat our greens, so here are 5 steps that went into making Salad Days, the perfect side dish to everyone’s favourite cheesy Mac. Salad Days is still smeared with his signature cheek and charm, but when listening to his previous albums comparatively, you can hear his lo-fi indie-rock speaking on a deeper level. In saying this, it wasn’t like DeMarco suddenly had some epiphany about modern social issues after watching a late night Oxfam commercial. Maybe it was the mood I was in, I didn’t really feel like writing a ‘rock’ song,” Mac explained in a 2014 interview with Under the Radar. In a 2014 interview with Evan Minsker of Pitchfork, Mac described feeling “weathered and beat down and grown up all of a sudden” after almost two years of touring and press.Īs a result, his second full-length album Salad Days not only progressed technically but also developed in its maturity and themes. “It’s weird because I did it all in about a month. Learn about it here.Īfter recent performances at Primavera Sound, Field Day, and Bonnaroo, Mac will play Solid Sound, the Pitchfork Music Festival, Outside Lands, and FYF (where he’ll have his own tent!), as well as embark on his own headlining tour, including a four-night sold-out run in New York City and two night at The Roundhouse, London, in September.From broken tape machines to analog synths to shitty guitars, we take a look at the what went into making Salad Days, the perfectly imperfect third album from Mac DeMarco.Īfter the release of his 2012 breakout album 2, Mac DeMarco’s fanbase began spreading around the globe in the lead up to Salad Days.
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Here, Mac wears his heart on his sleeve, openly contemplating his lover’s potential love for someone else, all the while paying tribute to one of his musical heroes.Īdditionally, Mac is running a special 'Another One' contest in conjunction with this video release.
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Following the release of first single, 'The Way You’d Love Her,' Mac now presents the video for the mini-LP’s title track, 'Another One,' made by and starring the man himself. Another One, Mac DeMarco’s mini-LP of love songs and the follow up to last year’s Salad Days, is due out 7th August on Captured Tracks.