Eternal Husbands - Eternal Husbands

Matt Leddy and Rick Reid, who call Montreal home, are the musical duo that make up Eternal Husbands. The two musicians have been creating music together for years under various monikers and, once their former and most recent band City Streets called it quits in the spring of 2013, they came together once again and subsequently released the Eternal Husbands EP in August of the same year.

The EP begins with "16", a track that slowly builds and is comprised mainly of a few sustained synth generated notes. The song creates a beautiful dreamy soundscape. It's a serene painting for the ears clearly influenced by the likes of Sigur Ros. The vocals, which come in late, hint at a kind of haunting undertow that resides in this tranquil opener. 

"ekg" begins with a drumbeat that marches us forward, while Leddy and Reid explore electronic elements filling out the remaining sound. The upbeat pace of the music is nicely juxtaposed to Reid's more reserved and at times hidden vocals, which remain solemn throughout. The track crescendos in the middle before being pulled away in what seems to be its end. However, the music returns to the infectious beat ultimately taking us home. 

"18”" is an interesting track in that it interweaves a king of folksy aesthetic, the plucking electric guitar, all while electronic and synth elements engulf the rest of the space.

This album weaves a thread of melancholy throughout. Adding to this feeling is Reid's scratchy voice, almost hidden, yearning to be heard. You can't help but wonder if its release, roughly two months after the split of City Streets, had a lingering effect on this debut. 

There are many elements at play on this EP. An exciting combination of folk, rock and electronic music fused together to create a haunting and times jumbled sound. However, these ideas only offer a glimpse at the potential for this duo. Eternal Husbands have me waiting patiently to hear what may come. 

Final rating: 3.5/5

--Fredy M. Luni hosts Hiway 1, Sundays at 1:00 pm on CJLO