On March 19, the Canadian indie-pop band Men I Trust released their first of two interconnected albums, “Equus Asinus,” with less than a week’s notice. The understated release matches the band’s consistent, light and jazzy style.
To me, the magic of Men I Trust lies in how each song gradually reveals itself with every listen. A new listener might shuffle their tracks on Spotify and feel like they each sound the same – and in a way, they wouldn’t be wrong.
I’ve found that each song carries a subtle motif that helps it quietly stand out and distinguish itself over time. However, it’s anything but gimmicky, and the album remains cohesive despite each track showcasing its own character.
Immediately, the stand-out tracks were “Paul’s Theme” and “Heavenly Flow.”
Almost entirely instrumental, save for some soft humming, “Paul’s Theme” is emotional, vintage and seemingly film-inspired. The keys that enter the second half feel both cinematic and personal, guiding the track to a powerful close and elevating the interlude.
“Heavenly Flow” initially stood out for its percussion, and then for its lyrics, with melodies carried by Emmanuelle Proulx’s dreamlike vocals – especially in the chorus. Most enchanting is the softness of the lines: “Why, don’t you see / How much you mean to me?”
I initially overlooked the opening track, “I Come With Mud,” but it quickly became a favorite of mine. Reminiscent of “Organon” from their 2021 release “Untourable Album,” it has a grittier, nostalgic feel, as if the band took the album cover and turned it into sound.
The album cover itself, a captivating photograph by Donna Ferrato, feels almost voyeuristic as it candidly captures a shirtless man in a softly lit bedroom using an iron. It mirrors the album’s intimate, almost ethereal sound.
While the album remains unified, the first half of “Equus Asinus” outshines the second. From the third track, “Bethlehem,” through “Frost Bite” and “Heavenly Flow,” to the sixth track, “The Landkeeper,” the album truly soars.
Moving onto the back end, “Girl (2025),” while dynamic on its own, is quite jarring in the tracklist. As the only track featuring a primary male vocalist, it left me wondering why – but not in a good way.
While not as sonically interesting, I can appreciate the themes of “I Don’t Like Music,” a track built around an innately contradictory premise. Something is compelling about declaring “I don’t like music / Why can’t I care?” through song, exploring a musician’s complicated relationship with the very thing they create.
Themes of reflection and regret are apparent elsewhere too, with lyrics such as: “Was there more I could’ve done?” from “All My Candles.”
Unfortunately, the closing track, “What Matters Most,” leaves much to be desired. It is a flat end to an otherwise lush and beautifully bittersweet album.
Despite a few missteps in the final stretch, “Equus Asinus” remains wonderfully melancholic and serene. It’s a slow-burn record that rewards repeated listens, reaffirming what I find most brilliant about Men I Trust’s discography.
The follow-up album “Equus Caballus” is expected sometime later this year.
