Men I Trust’s 2025 album, “Equus Asinus,” is a reinvention of their sound from previous outputs like “Untourable Album” and “Oncle Jazz.” This time, the band shifts their retro, funk-inspired music into a more folk-inspired sound. With previous singles like “Girl” making a return in a new and more nuanced fashion, Men I Trust comes off as a more mature and well-rounded band. Unfortunately, this comes at a cost for the band, as “Equus Asinus” is one of their most unnecessary albums. 

I say this because, in an attempt to stretch out a double album release, Men I Trust has seemingly put together a “filler” album. On paper, switching to folk is a great idea, especially since the genre has been blossoming in popularity over the past few years. However, I believe the band didn’t have enough ideas to warrant a full album release. Take the song “Frost Bite,” for example, which starts serene for the first minute but is repetitive by the end of the song. 

That’s not to say everything is less than satisfactory on the album. For example, the aforementioned song “Girl” has improved, now titled “Girl (2025).” The production this time around has drastically improved, and the duet between lead singer Emma Proulx and guitarist Jessy Caron gives a tender performance. The song “Moon 2” is also a highlight, as it combines  the spacey rock style of the band’s past with their current folk focus.

Overall, “Equus Asinus” is an album that feels more like an idea than a fully fledged concept. For every song that feels fresh, it is bogged down by a lot of songs that feel unfinished or simply unnecessary. While this is the first of two albums to come out by Men I Trust this year, I feel as if this album didn’t need to exist in the context it does now. I hope by the end of the spring, when “Equus Caballus” releases, the band will deliver a more alluring piece.