Mac DeMarco is your new favourite Canadian, if he wasn’t already.

Don’t write off this purveyor of fine slacker-rock as the lazy type. Just because his spaced-out vocals and time-warping melodies make you forget about every commitment in your life, doesn’t mean DeMarco hasn’t worked his arse off for his third album, Salad Days. He could have simply employed his touring band to provide the various parts to his songs. Instead, he cooped himself up in his Brooklyn bedroom for weeks on end and laboured over the recording of every part of every song.

After releasing his acclaimed second record ‘2’ in 2013 and touring the world, DeMarco has released a follow-up album contradicting his eccentric on-stage antics.

It’s as if Salad Days apologises for all the beer-spitting, penis-flashing and inappropriate-drumstick-inserting that his live performances have enriched our lives with.

But Mac, there’s nothing to apologise for. We love you. Keep being you.

This is not to say I would change anything about this record. Listen closely and you’ll discover that behind DeMarco’s “I don’t give a shit” exterior is really a man in a coming-of-age crisis:

“acting like my life’s already over”

“worried about the world’s eyes”

“act your age and try another year”

All these qualms seem insignificant by his carefree vocals and tobacco-tinged guitar (he claims his chain-smoking during recording affected the tape-recording quality for the better).

Immediate standout, the funky ‘Brother‘, and summery number ‘Let Her Go‘ remind us of the energy of previous albums, while mature songwriting and electronic production adapt his self-described “jizz jazz” stylings to achieve longevity. It wouldn’t be a Mac DeMarco album without a solemn ballad like ‘Let My Baby Stay‘ allowing him to show off with lyrics that ring on in your head long after the track has finished.

Pop sensibilities pull you in, and the celebration of life that is Mac DeMarco makes you stay. After three inventive albums by age 23, it’s easy to see Mac DeMarco continuing his rapid ascent to slacker stardom.

Salad Days is out now through Spunk Records. FBi’s album of the week: 21.03.14 – 28.03.14

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