Husbands & Wives, a group of four hardworking and talented lads who hail from Canton, finally released their debut album, “Prepare To Meet Thy God,” July 14. But this was no quiet release with the CD silently placed on record store shelves. The group took to The Auricle the same night as the debut for an album release show that gathered a packed venue and a whole slew of impressed listeners.
It was amazing to see this band play live and know that they roam the streets of Northeast Ohio as everyday pedestrians like you and me. The group puts on such an incredible show that those butterfly feelings you get when you see your favorite band play were fully a-flutter, and the feeling was undoubtedly shared throughout the venue.
The reason for this is the guys are good. They have a modern sound that takes a little from the past – the influences of ’90s alternative and Brit pop are evident – and mix it with something more diverse and future-forward. Drummer Brian McCoy’s hurdy gurdy, for example, during the performance of “Just Like A Baby,” and Tony Scarpitti’s frantic change of instruments throughout the set shows these boys like to take it a step further and create sounds that are fresh and exciting.
Husbands & Wives played almost every track from “Prepare To Meet Thy God” to an uproariously positive reception. Sprinkled throughout were covers of Pixies’ “Hey” and “North American Scum” by LCD Soundsystem, both flawlessly performed but tweaked and twisted ever so slightly to sound like Husbands & Wives and not a carbon copy cover band.
On the stage with the guys were their very own go-go dancers adorned in Christmas lights and swaying to the beat of each song. The girls with matching retro hairstyles were seemingly like those little dancing Hawaiian bobble heads on a car dashboard, but they also cleverly helped adjust the atmospheric lighting on stage. It normally takes a band a few years on the road before girls begin dancing with them during shows, but these guys clearly have the upper hand.
After the show, the fellas shook hands and hugged members of the crowd as half of the venue swarmed to the merch table to pick up the new album. For those who missed the incredible performance, you can stream “Prepare To Meet Thy God” on HusbandsAndWives.net, close your eyes, and imagine you were there too.
Written by Brittany Nader
Photos by Jim Lightcap
