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Five Easy Hot Dogs
by
Five Easy Hot Dogs Image
Metascore
68

Generally favorable reviews - based on 11 Critic Reviews What's this?

User Score
5.9

Mixed or average reviews- based on 17 Ratings

  • Summary: The second instrumental release for Mac DeMarco was created while he was on a cross-country road trip in 2022.
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  • Record Label: Mac's Record Label
  • Genre(s): Pop/Rock, Alternative/Indie Rock, Indie Rock, Lo-Fi, Dream Pop
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Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 5 out of 11
  2. Mixed: 6 out of 11
  3. Negative: 0 out of 11
  1. Glide Magazine
    Jan 19, 2023
    80
    Through its simplicity, Five Easy Hot Dogs achieved a level of beauty that redefines Demarco as a musician. Instead of relying on cheeky guitar tones and whispering vocal melodies, Demarco created a project that expresses his diversity without it feeling forced.
  2. Mojo
    Feb 22, 2023
    80
    This is no holding exercise. Instead, think beautifully conceived curio. [Apr 2023, p.85]
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  3. Beats Per Minute
    Jan 20, 2023
    73
    It does not at all feel lazy, rather a conscious effort to do something new. Five Easy Hot Dogs is an incredibly addictive record that entices with its lightheartedness and almost weightlessness, which is aided by the absence of vocals and lyrics.
  4. PopMatters
    Jan 19, 2023
    60
    Each instrumental, named after its place of origin, floats by languorously and begins to blur together into a gentle, placid paste not even three songs in. Each track is gorgeous, but they’re all also immeasurably passive, with only a few key differences between each to make them separate entities.
  5. The Telegraph (UK)
    Jan 20, 2023
    60
    Whilst it is purposefully lacking in intention, the experimental album has its moments of whimsy but feels noticeably devoid of humour, surprising for a musician known for his zaniness. Still a cohesive affair, it’s an apt depiction of transience and Mac DeMarco is taking us all along for the ride.
  6. Uncut
    Feb 15, 2023
    60
    Despite the scattered and itinerant nature of the process, there's a pleasing coherence and warmth to the record. [Apr 2023, p.26]
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  7. Clash Music
    Jan 23, 2023
    60
    ‘Five Easy Hot Dogs’ isn’t going to win DeMarco any more fans, nor will it distract from his past triumphs. ... This instrumental offering will, like most of his tunes, act as great company for those who just wanna lay back and disconnect from it all.

See all 11 Critic Reviews

User Reviews

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Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 3 out of 7
  2. Mixed: 2 out of 7
  3. Negative: 2 out of 7
  1. Nick7
    Feb 3, 2023
    10
    When I heard he was going to release a new instrumental I just hoped it would be as good as or surpass "Some Other Ones". I listened to it asWhen I heard he was going to release a new instrumental I just hoped it would be as good as or surpass "Some Other Ones". I listened to it as soon as he released it on spotify and I admit I had a hard time finding anything nice about it. Until two days later I started doing housework, cleaning, tidying up...and I played the whole album in the background on the TV...at that moment I knew it's a great album and super recommendable to play it on loop over and over again...it's impossible to get tired of listening to it.… Expand
  2. Ilovehardy1
    Jan 21, 2023
    10
    This album is so beautiful I love it so much it’s amazing more people need to listen to this album multiple times and I have listened to itThis album is so beautiful I love it so much it’s amazing more people need to listen to this album multiple times and I have listened to it twice in 2 days!… Expand
  4. banjofella
    Jan 20, 2023
    8
    As a fan of Mac's prior instrumental outings, this album was a nice surprise. Definitely not as lively as Some Other Ones, but that's ok. It'sAs a fan of Mac's prior instrumental outings, this album was a nice surprise. Definitely not as lively as Some Other Ones, but that's ok. It's different, and I'm glad to see an artist continue to try different things. Also nice to have some more Mac instrumentals on streaming services as well.… Expand
  5. Djlikesmusic
    Mar 22, 2023
    6
    While I can see what Mac was trying to achieve here continuing in the direction that Here Comes the Cowboy was doing, it was somewhatWhile I can see what Mac was trying to achieve here continuing in the direction that Here Comes the Cowboy was doing, it was somewhat underwhelming as nothing really stood out. Despite that, Five Easy Hot Dogs does create a more luscious and easygoing atmosphere that fills in for the absence of vocals. It’s still a nice listen though but leaves you wishing there was more to it.… Expand
  6. Haldane
    Jan 20, 2023
    4
    I was quite the fan of Mac's last work (Here Come the Cowboy) with its underproduced-overproduced balance, however even as background musicI was quite the fan of Mac's last work (Here Come the Cowboy) with its underproduced-overproduced balance, however even as background music this album is pretty boring and some songs left me waiting for the album to be finished so I could move on. I understand the rudimentary nature of the recordings but most of the songs sound like watered-down versions of the last album, which itself felt watered-down. For example, the synth in "Gualala" sounds similar to the one on "Nobody", but in the case of Nobody it fit and yet in Gualala its like a fly you want to shoo away. I like this style of music, but I don't like this version.… Expand
  7. Based_Critic69
    Jan 25, 2023
    0
    This was extremely disappointing and sounded cheap. It almost sounded like a fan making a "Mac Demarco type beat" on youtube.
  8. ArthurFriedenre
    Jan 23, 2023
    0
    Mac Demarco is a gifted song writer.
    Now here are 14 instrumentals made on a long and spontaneous solo road trip.
    Though each track is named    Mac Demarco is a gifted song writer.
    Now here are 14 instrumentals made on a long and spontaneous solo road trip.
    Though each track is named for where it was recorded, there’s not any connection to the location, it's all nice but just boring.
    The instrumentals are utterly uninspired, so skip this album if you want to listen to something interesting.
    I will continue to love Mac DeMarco in spite of this crappy album which he should have kept for himself.    … Expand

Awards & Rankings

58
#58 Most Discussed Album of 2023