“Guitar”, Marc DeMarco’s sixth studio album, was officially released on August 22 ,2025. Guitar, like the title of the album suggests, will be the main instrument played throughout the whole album. Before the album’s release, three promotional singles were released from the album: “Home” on June 24, 2025, “Holy” on July 22, 2025, and “Phantom” on August 19, 2025. This album is a big deal as it marks his comeback to vocal-led music since his album “Five Easy Hot Dogs and One Wayne G” released in 2023.  Mac DeMarco’s music is known for its mix of indie rock, psychedelic rock, jangle pop, and lo-fi. “Guitar” stayed with that style, leaning mostly into indie rock and lo-fi. 

The album has 12 songs total, adding up to 31 minutes, but every minute counts. Calm beats and “guitar”, hence the title, are incorporated into each song, making them flow well with each other. The album is also filled with powerful and meaningful lyrics that really stick with you throughout the whole album. It’s the kind of album you can listen to continuously without losing interest or feeling the need to skip a single song. 

Shining – 7/10 

 ‘Shining’ is the first track displayed on the album and sets the tone for the rest of the album. Despite the sad yet painful lyrics, the sound of the songs really puts the listener in a calm, relaxed mood, making it enjoyable for the listeners. This song resides in themes of regret, inner conflict, and the difficulty of moving on from old love while being in a new one.

 Sweeter- 8/10

   With the song ‘Sweeter’, the listener really starts to see that there is a true theme to this album–relationships. ‘Sweeter’ is about someone trying to fix a broken relationship by promising to improve the second time around. When the song says “sweeter this time will be sweeter”, it’s saying that the first time in the relationship is not so sweet, but the second time can be ‘sweeter’, hence the title of the song.  The song shows the strain between hope for change and the reality that “some things never change”.

Phantom – 8/10 

    ‘Phantom’ further pushes the recurring theme of the album being about relationships. This song portrays the pain of losing someone you love and how their memory can linger like a ghost or “Phantom”. In this context, “Phantom” symbolizes both regret and devotion. The narrator, Mac DeMarco, realizes that the relationship is over, but can’t get over his feelings haunting him like a “Phantom”. Therefore, this song shows how love can fade away, leaving only the memories that continue to haunt you long after it’s gone. 

Nightmare  – 5/10

   ‘Nightmare’  is about regret, guilt, and what happens when you make bad choices. The narrator realizes that once you do certain things, you can’t undo them; you just have to deal with the emotional mess that comes after. The song uses strong symbolism to show how heavy those choices can feel and how you can’t escape the consequences.   

Terror – 6/10

   ‘Terror’ is about feeling restless, obsessed, and aware of yourself, while also thinking about life and death. The singer, Mac DeMarco, calls himself a “wandering terror”, showing he struggles with inner chaos and strong emotions. He uses symbols like leeches and moths to show dependence, desire, and the results that come from them. Overall, the song is about facing your inner demons and dealing with your fears or terrors.

Rock and Roll – 5.5/10 

   While the titles of the other songs mean or suggest what the song will be about, ‘Rock and Roll’ doesn’t really do that. This song shows how love can bring strong and complicated feelings, much like the  previous songs in this album. ‘Rock and Roll’ shows how love can be exciting and complex, sometimes at the very same time. Phrases like “drown” and “sold my soul” show that the narrator is being completely controlled by their emotions.

Home – 5.5/10 

   ‘Home’ digs into themes like nostalgia, regret, and emotional withdrawal. The speaker struggles with memories of home and past relationships, realizing that revisiting them brings pain. The repeated phrase “sooner than I’d go home again”, reflects a want to distance oneself from the past; it also shows how hard it is to face one’s past mistakes and feelings that you haven’t dealt with.    

Nothing at all – 9/10

   ‘Nothing at all’ stands out from the other songs in how the guitar is incorporated into the song. ‘Nothing at all’ gives the feeling of being trapped in cycles of highs and lows. This song shows themes of mental health, instability, and extreme emotions. DeMarco shows how small things can transform into a spiral where coping doesn’t work anymore. The song shows what being stuck in cycles of extreme emotions feels like. 

Punishment -5.5/10

    The song mixes dark imagery with questions about life to show the anxiety of not knowing if we’re on the right path and the fear of making the wrong choice.   

Knockin- 9.5/10

 ‘Knockin’ is about the past, memories, regrets, lies, and unanswered questions—they always come back around or come “knockin”. The song shows the struggle between wanting freedom and being too scared or dishonest to take it. 

Holy- 4/10

    Although the song “Holy” is rather short as it’s only two verses, it’s still powerful. ‘Holy’ is about the struggle between hope and despair. The singer wishes for a miracle,  but also feels trapped by problems they can’t escape. By calling the song “holy”, DeMarco shows that life’s good and bad moments are connected. The song captures the challenge of finding meaning while dealing with personal struggles.

Rooster- 6/10

   ‘Rooster’ is about growing older and dealing with life’s challenges. The singer feels unsure about the future, but believes being with someone they care about makes it easier. The rooster represents strength and new beginnings, reminding us to keep going no matter how hard things get.