With the close of 2013 seeing the end of an extensive European tour, the new year presents the latest chapter for The Henry Girls in the form of their latest album, ‘Louder Than Words’.
Hailing from County Donegal and consisting of sisters Karen, Lorna and Joleen McLaughlin, the trio combine their passionately-embraced Irish folk roots with elements of Americana; a self-declared “musical fusion of the Donegal coastline and the Appalachian mountains”.
The album begins strongly with ‘James Monroe’, a song that is as good an introduction to the The Henry Girls’ music as it is to any record. A simple yet gutsy acoustic guitar line supported by an eerie slide backing brings about a poignant tale of love, loss and regret. It is perhaps the stark purity of the band’s sound that strikes first and foremost, the flawless three-part harmonies of the trio sour effortlessly over traditional roots rhythms and perfectly balanced instrumentation. The introduction of subtle brass towards the conclusion of the opening song only goes to further add intrigue, leaving us marvel and wonder as to what other musical influences can be brought into this most curious of melting pots.
To this end, The Henry Girls most certainly do not disappoint, as the rest of ‘Louder Than Words’ embraces a glorious range of styles. The likes of ‘Maybe’ and ‘No Matter What You Say’ brings the band their closest to country, with the latter featuring terrific fiddle playing that contributes well to the upbeat feel of the song. ‘Reason To Believe’ has an almost Hawaiian edge with its combination of ukelele and slide guitar taking centre stage, whilst ‘The Light In The Window’ demonstrates the trio’s vocal harmonies at their most haunting. Accordion, fiddle and mandolin add an Eastern European flavour to ‘It’s Not Easy’, and the minimalistic arrangement of organ and tightly-knit vocal chorus on ‘Here Beside Me’ brings a gospel atmosphere to the album’s conclusion.
However, it is ‘Home’ and ‘So Long But Not Goodbye’ that are the true highlights of ‘Louder Than Words’. The former is a solid example of the lyrical abilities of the group, providing a series of heartbreaking portraits of the lost and alone, before a soulful end reignites some hope for these tragic subjects. The latter is a fantastic example of The Henry Girls’ harmonic dexterity, taking a departure from their more traditional, folk-based vocal style and instead adding a swing that harks back to the female groups of the 1940s and 50s. The effect is spectacularly authentic, and speaks volumes about the bands’ songwriting.
Unfortunately, ‘Louder Than Words’ does have one shortcoming in the form of ‘The Weather’. It is far from a bad song, as solidly composed as any of the others, but its feel doesn’t quite match the rest of the album. The xylophone melody featured throughout is rather playful and teetering on the brink of cutesy, whilst even the most gentle of the other tracks have much more of an edge. With some restructuring, ‘The Weather’ could have worked perfectly amongst the bands’ genre-hopping, but as the second song of the album, it is too much of a contrast to ‘James Monroe’, and some may find this upsets the flow a little too early on.
Despite this, ‘Louder Than Words’ is an exceptionally constructed album and will be a fine addition to the collections of established and new fans alike. The Henry Girls’ ability to draw influences from such a broad spectrum of styles whilst still remaining rooted in their own sound is a joy to behold, all the while lifting each song with their glorious and crystal-clear vocal harmonies. ‘Louder Than Words’ sees the music of The Henry Girls reach new and exciting heights, something that will no doubt be mirrored by their success in the months and years to come.
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