When Mac DeMarco released Here Comes the Cowboy in May of 2019, he received an overall positive response. His sixth full-length studio album brought that breezy, relaxed sound with a quiet and reflective theme that his fans know and love from other works of his such as Salad Days.
As is tradition, DeMarco went the extra mile to release the Here Comes the Cowboy demos. A lot of the time, his demos are in and of themselves fantastic and rival the studio album sound. In honor of the release of his latest demo album, I’m going through the whole album and deciding which sounds better: the demo or the studio album.
Overall the demos for the album are better than the actual studio album, bringing a more personal and enjoyable sound to DeMarco’s already tremendous album. Here is every song on Here Comes the Cowboy and which version audiences should binge-listen to:
- “Here Comes the Cowboy” - Demo
The album’s title track is simple, yet effective. The entirety of the lyricism includes DeMarco saying “here comes the cowboy” over and over, with a unique guitar pattern backing him. It’s one of the worst on the album (and I say that lightly, as it’s still an incredible track), but the demo makes it much more enjoyable by bringing a backyard acoustic feel to it.
- “Nobody” - Demo
Another relaxing and simplistic track brings some of DeMarco’s most interesting lyricism. The demo version wins out because of the funky marking sound on each beat that makes it more groovy than snoozy.
- “Finally Alone” - Studio
This is a rare win for the studio album, but it’s much deserved. “Finally Alone” is a brilliantly introspective track, but the demo version distracts from the lyricism by bringing an elevator music feeling to it that’s almost unsettling. The studio album version is much more put together and well done.
- “Little Dogs March” - Tie
It’s impossible to deem a winner for this track, so I chose a tie. Both are almost identical to each other, so it’s unfair to choose a winner. They both are immaculate as is, either way.
- “Preoccupied” - Demo
The demo of “Preoccupied” brings another one of those backyard acoustic type of vibes, as opposed to the studio album, which listens as more of a lullaby. Both are unique in their own way, but the demo version is more of an enjoyable listen.
- “Choo Choo” - Demo
Though “Choo Choo” is a hilarious addition to this studio album, it’s definitely one that could be skipped. You have to be in a certain mood to enjoy it. The same can’t be said for the demo version, that, when my roommates heard it for the first time, described it as “a total vibe.” The raw vocals mixed with the absolute funkified R&B instrumentation is incredible.
- “K” - Demo
“K” is undoubtedly the most romantic song, which he wrote specifically for his girlfriend, Kiera. The studio album brought tears to my eyes, and the demo version is no different. The only reason the demo wins out is because it’s a more raw cut, and you can better hear DeMarco’s emotion while singing about the love of his life. It’s truly beautiful, and would make even the most heartless believe in true love.
- “Heart to Heart” - Demo
The demo of “Heart to Heart” relies more on a heavy synthesizer and a faster pace, as opposed to the studio album which slows down the pace and dulls out the synthesizer. This results in the studio album version sounding too similar to some of his other tracks, whereas the demo shows more distinction.
- “Hey Cowgirl” - Studio
“Hey Cowgirl” is another rare win for the studio album. Though both tracks are very similar, like “Little Dogs March,” the studio album version of “Hey Cowgirl” just has a better mix of the instrumentation and vocals that makes it more professional to listen to (obviously, since it’s the studio version rather than a demo).
- “On the Square” - Demo
This blues-y track is brilliantly done, especially in regards to instrumentation. However, the key change to the studio album is what secured the win for the demo, as the demo has a much more dreamy and laid-back style. The studio version is a bit harsher and loses the vibe that I feel DeMarco was going for with the track.
- “All of Our Yesterdays” - Tie
Though I frown upon ties, this is another one that was too tough to choose between. I love DeMarco’s count in on the demo version, and I love the obvious better quality on the studio album version, but both are too close sounding to choose a winner. Both give off the same energy and (almost) the same sound.
- “Skyless Moon” - Demo
My least favorite song on the album is “Skyless Moon,” so I already wasn’t expecting much from the demo version. However, the demo put less of an emphasis on the dissonant chords that cause such an unsettling feeling. There’s also much more of an emphasis on DeMarco’s vocals, which are wonderful on this track.
- “Baby Bye Bye” and “The Cattleman’s Prayer” - Demo
The demo track of this is just, everything. It’s quite similar sounding to the studio album, but like “Preoccupied,” the studio version sounds much more like a lullaby, while the demo version stays consistent with the western, cowboy sounding theme. The demo also splits up “Baby Bye Bye” and “The Cattleman’s Prayer,” as opposed to the studio version which combines the two. The studio version of “The Cattleman’s Prayer” is also much more aggressive than the soft flowing “yeehaw baby” version we get from the demo.
