Brother Henry

"Nashville is the best place in the world to make a record," David Henry said. "Per square foot, we've got more players, gear and resources than any place in the world."

Henry is one of those resources, having performed with, produced or engineered works by Ben Folds, David Mead, Steve Earle, Guster, Indigo Girls, R.E.M. and other bigwigs. Henry's identical twin, Ned, has carved a similar notch for himself, working on projects by Folds, Earle, Widespread Panic and Jars of Clay.

A couple of years ago, though, the brothers Henry decided to direct their musical talents beyond contributing roles. A band — Brother Henry — was born, offering up smart and layered pop bolstered by family harmonies and considerable virtuosity. Bass-playing brother Jeff Henry has since joined, as has Park Ellis, a drummer and guitarist who the Henrys refer to as their "newly adopted brother."

The Brothers will mark the release of their sophomore album, Chasing Happiness, with a show tonight at Third & Lindsley.

David remains Nashville's most notable pop and rock 'n' roll cellist, singing while he plays that sometimes unwieldy instrument.

"For some reason, the singing and playing cello at the same time is kind of novel to people," he said. "That's something we can offer. The cello is such a powerful instrument. It fills in a lot of the guitar range. It can be aggressive or sweet, and it's also fun to step on the (sound-altering) foot pedals and make a lot of noise."

Chasing Happiness carries more of a live, full-band feel than its predecessor, and the brothers hope to develop a following throughout the Southeast on the strength of the new release.

"Ned and I were making records with other people, but we always had that desire to give it our own show," David said. "I think it was something we felt like we have to do. I remember a junior high music teacher telling me one time, 'You go into music 'cause you can't bear to do anything else.' That's the way it's been for us."

--Peter Cooper
- The Tennesean, Nashville, TN

Back before alt-country became alt-country, there were bands making Byrds-influenced roots pop that didn't have to be as dour as the work of Uncle Tupelo. But the post-No Depression magazine movement has made angst a necessary element in almost every release since UT's Anodyne.

Heedless of the misery mandate, Nashville's Brother Henry have failed to toe the party line on their appropriately titled sophomore CD Chasing Happiness.

Bringing to mind the early work of The BoDeans, The Silos and especially the Mark Olson-era Jayhawks, Brother Henry, whose members have worked with Ben Folds, Josh Rouse, The Cowboy Junkies and more, make something more akin to Southern pop than what passes for alt-country these days. There's nothing dirty or dangerous about Chasing Happiness, but that was never the intention anyway.

"We were definitely going for pop, but mainly we were going for higher energy," David Henry tells ATR. David fronts Brother Henry along with his identical twin brother, Ned. "That was the main force that was driving the recording and the song selection and even how we wrote. We were trying to keep the record 'up' as much as possible."

Unlike their more even-tempered debut, C'mon People, Chasing Happiness is unapologetically positive, and sometimes downright hokey on songs like Fab Four and Two Old Friends. But beyond purposefully poppy tunes like the Byrds-ish Spaceman, the band, which also includes Henry Brother Jeff and drummer Park Ellis, are still at their best when their sunny songs are given the twilight treatment.

It might be that songs like Where Will I Be and Deep in the Dark are standouts because David is an accomplished cellist, so his voice is at its most natural when the melodies are more strung out and mellow. Or maybe it's because underappreciated guitarist brother Ned plays the laidback Mark Knopfler/Richard Thompson style as masterfully and intuitively as anybody in town. And in this town, that really is saying something. Either way, the brothers prove on Chasing Happiness that while they can put the pedal to the metal with the best of them, they're still at their best when they apply the brakes.

Brother Henry performs a free set at 5pm Sat., July 9, at Tower Records' West End location. They also perform at 9pm Sun., July 10, at 3rd & Lindsley, 818 Third Ave. S. Admission is $7. Call 259-9891 for more information.

-- Jason Moon Wilkins - The Rage, Nashville, TN

Double your pleasure with "Come On, People," the new CD by Brother Henry, ultra-talented, Georgia-born twins David and Ned. David Henry's experience as a producer and the owner of True Tone Records made this homemade project inevitable. The brothers spent their Saturdays in the studio, wrote their own songs and indulged their passion for various instruments such as the cello, the mandolin and the violin, just to name a few. The result is 11 solid tracks of poetic lyrics, diverse sounds and powerful, modern drumming in an enjoyable union of pop and folk.

Ned Henry released a solo album in 1993 called "The Simple and the Beautiful," winning that year's Austin Songwriter's Song Contest. As half of Brother Henry, he sings lead and plays guitar, among other things. Brother David sings back-up vocals, plays bass and mans the board. In fact, the twins played almost all the instruments on this album, from the Lowery organ to the synthalog.

Older brother Jeff Henry was recruited to play the bassline on "The Bells Have Sounded" for triple the fun. And for percussion, Park Ellis of Sixpence None the Richer sat in on drums. They also borrowed drummer Craig Wright from Steve Earle to play on "Don't Give Up."

The songs on "Come On, People" are mostly confessional, with a special insight into the human experience. Brother Henry's brilliant lyrical skills are apparent in the symbolic words "I had a closet filled with coats lined with despair/ I could keep a grudge right up to my skin/ where it hides 'til it finds a way in" from "Love Is Moving Through This World."

The brothers Henry are identical twins, which might explain how their interchangable voices blend together in a kindred harmony. The best examples of their dual vocal approach are found in "Fly If You Want To," "We're Going To Fly," featuring Vienna Teng on the piano, as well as "Wonderful As You," which also showcases a fine mandolin solo.

Anyone who likes R.E.M., The Cowboy Junkies or Slaid Cleaves should check out Brother Henry. They are a creative duo singing to their own tune, developing an innovative sound, and celebrating the brotherhood of music.

--Sonja Franks
- Birmingham Post Herald, Birmingham, AL

Brother Henry, Greg Trooper, David Olney, Jeff Black. A QUARTET OF QUALITY: This is a stellar lineup of talent that would be a bargain at twice the price. Ned and David Henry, of smart sibling pop quartet Brother Henry, pitched in to help Ben Folds on his latest album, "Songs for Silverman." Folds returned the favor by shooting the photos to accompany the band's sprightly 2005 album, "Chasing Happiness." - The Atlanta Journal and Constitution

If vocal harmony sounds sweet on its own, it seems especially so when the harmony's coming from two sets of vocal chords sharing the same double-helix configuration.

Just listen to the identical twins fronting Brother Henry, and you'll see what we mean.

The rootsy songs filled with scuttling guitar and mandolin are dandy, but David and Ned Henry's scratchy, earnest voices are what really sell the show. It'll appeal to fans of the Barenaked Ladies, the late, great Mark Heard or even The Byrds.

Those who like to read resumes, note that Brother Henry have played Tennessee's legendary Bonaroo festival and did a stint on stage with Guster recently. Also David Henry -- "The one with the shiny head," they kid -- recently produced Loft alumn Vienna Teng's acclaimed sophomore album.

Columbus gets a visit from the band between gigs at Birmingham's WorkPlay theater and Atlanta's Red Light Cafe, so clearly the boys have taste. ("Columbus is emerging as a cool music town with a resurgence of live music clubs in the downtown district. We are looking forward to our first appearance at The Loft," states their Web site.)

--Brad Barnes
- Ledger-Enquirer, Columbus, GA