7/10

After the release of his 2017 album 'This Old Dog', it seemed that Mac DeMarco's laid-back days were behind him. Filled with a more urgent and contemplative attitude that covered everything from getting old to family relationships, his previous offering was showing him in a more mature light, giving us a side to the usually joke-filled demeanour that we had never heard before. But after a short introduction into his fourth full-length 'Here Comes The Cowboy', it is clear that the frontman has returned to his smooth and woozy days as he delivers a less heavy return.

Much like his presence on the 2012 debut album '2', this new collection sees him completely stripped back as he looks to swoon and serenade us with as little extra production as possible. Tapping back into his signature sound has given this new release a fresh and yet familiar sound as it plays, keeping the focus purely on him as he almost narrates his way through this new release. Although what stands out most here is just how brief each of the singles are. With little making it past the three minute mark, it feels like he doesn't let the tracks breathe as long as they should, giving the album a far faster pace than it deserves.

But despite its pacing problems, 'Here Comes The Cowboy' is still a stylish and enjoyable listen from start to finish. Never really letting himself go too far down a warped and psychedelic path, the LP has a strong and cohesive direction that allows him to explore more of his uniquely laid-back aesthetic and deliver an extremely fan-pleasing return.