Canadian indie band Men I Trust (“Lauren”), featuring Jessy Caron on bass and guitar, Dragos Chiriac on keyboard and Emmanuelle Proulx as lead vocalist, released their fourth album “Untourable Album” on Aug. 24.
Men I Trust’s overall sound is similar to Phoebe Bridgers (“Garden Song”), or Clairo’s “Sling” album, with a relaxed energy and simple, but poetic lyrics. “Show Me How” is the band’s most-played song on Spotify, with 85 million plays.
Produced during quarantine, Men I Trust named the album thinking they would not be able to tour for it. However, they are currently on tour, and their closest stop to Oswego will be on Oct. 31 and Nov. 2 in Brooklyn, or Nov. 4 in Toronto.
At 13 songs and 38 minutes, “Untourable Album” fits exactly what the band wanted to say for this album with little room for interludes or unnecessarily long ballads. “Untourable” quickly shows itself as less of an interpretive art project, and more of a straightforward tone.
First on the album, “Organon” gently drifts the listener in with smooth synths and whispers in Proulx’s usual dreamy voice. With lyrics crooning, “When I smell sweet hay, peace of mind comes, distant land I’m from, honey and sun,” Proulx lulls the listener into a better headspace than before to fully prepare for the easy listening of the rest of the album.
“Untourable Album” focuses heavily on the band’s dreampop/jazzpop aethestic and the end of summer release date greatly benefited the tone. “Before Dawn” and “Serenade of Water” feel like the drive home from the beach, or the drive home after your last shift at your summer job.
However, not all songs are as gentle and sweet as those previously mentioned. “5am Waltz” is darker, with limited vocals that encapsulate the feeling of being up at 5 a.m. after a long night or an early morning. Bouncing back from the more depressing, Men I Trust wraps the listener back into a repeat of the easy beats and pleasant feelings with “Always Lone,” a simple bass jam with Proulx swinging throughout.
“Untourable” makes excellent use of stereo sounds, mirroring smaller beats to keep the listener interested in what would otherwise be a bit of a repetitive sound. Proulx’s voice carries through it all with an ethereal feel, binding the beats and making it unique.
Without Proulx, Men I Trust and “Untourable,” especially, would not stand out. His gentle whispers allow the band to fill its niche easily and effectively, standing out from other dreampop bands like the Cocteau Twins.
The only major negative for the album is the cover art. The children on the front are an eyesore. However, the photo of mundane Canadian life is intentional. The photographer, Lynn Goldsmith, released a photobook called “A Day in the Life of Canada.” Men I Trust was inspired by the daily rhythm and pattern of regular life, transposing it onto their music, and Goldsmith created the cover photo specifically for the album.
“Untourable” is a massive success, and will be on repeat every chill weekend while working through chores or assignments.
Image from Men I Trust via YouTube
