Music
Press
Hendrick doesn't sound like it's setting out to change the world on its latest full-length, Exhale, nor does the band even indicate that it's necessarily trying to do anything of the sort. Rather, this sophomore release seems to be more about simpler conveyance: moving listeners emotionally.
What Hendrick does especially well here is offer a polarized combination of tone. First, soothing, melatonin-sunrise serenity, with wavering, Buckley-esque vocals—fit for, say, a hot bath, or morning coffee at a mountainside cabin. Then, a quick right, with sharper teeth. Hendrick works this dichotomy well, and the key to this success is the disc's above-average timing, which, within the context of each song, cross-pollinates a fragile vocal style with a brighter musical mood.
The result is a journey that still has plenty of mileage ahead; whether the band ever reaches its destinations could be debated, but its progress is undeniable. On standout songs such as the epic "Licked," and the colossal, nearly eight-minute "Echo and The Pass," this formula works especially well. Elsewhere, the journey may need a little more travelling, but it's clear that Hendrick is already pointed in the right direction.
http://www.dallasobserver.com/2009-09-10/music/hendrick/ - The Dallas Observer
DALLAS — Look out, kids, I've caught wind of another dreamboat rock band – and this one's from Dallas! Hendrick has been around for a few years now and I finally caught them live when they ventured north of 635 to Rubber Gloves this weekend. To further prove that I am a total Johnny Come Lately on this one, Hendrick's latest album, Exhale was named the #3 Album of 2009 by The Local Edge, and Ghost of Blind Lemon is evidently as openly obsessed with "Echo and the Pass" as I am with Oso Closo. Point taken, Tastemakers, Hendrick rocks.
Hendrick / Oso Closo / Sounds Under Radio
Josh Hendrick's vocals layered over the multi-dimensional instrumentation have a way of sweeping you away into the sound. They manage to simultaneously capture the guttural passion of Jeff Buckley, the hypnotizing melodic power of Flaming Lips, and the sweet harmony of Kansas. The result is downright pretty and impossible to sit still through.
http://www.pegasusnews.com/news/2009/dec/14/concert-preview-hendrick-granada-theater-thursday/ - Pegasus News
1. "Echo and the Pass", Hendrick
By my second listen of the song, I knew this was the track to beat for best song of the year. The song starts slowly, yet the simple guitar intro provided by Hans Grumbein sucks in the listener. As the song progresses and the guitars get more intense, so does the emotional impact of the song. Lead vocalist Josh Hendrick provides such an intense vocal performance of the song that the emotions felt are conveyed so beautifully I'm convinced that I'd understand the song even if I didn't speak English. By the time the song reaches its climax, the song has taken your breath away, and it taps into something so primal that it defies explanation. Words cannot do this song justice, and yes, the song really is that amazing. Bravo to Hendrick, who have created the ultimate masterpiece of 2009.
http://ghostofblindlemon.blogspot.com/2010/01/top-songs-of-2009-podcast.html - Ghost of Blind Lemon
3. Hendrick - Exhale
Beautiful album from a band that has gone through a couple of incarnations. It seems they have finally found one that works. It's easy to lump them in with Brit rock faves Elbow and Coldplay, but we're not going to do that here. Easily one of the best and one of my favorite local albums of the year.
http://www.kdge.com/pages/mark.html - 102.1 The Edge
Discography
"We Share the Sky" - self released
"You Gon' Drown: The Summer Homes EP" - self released
"Exhale" - self released
5 of the 11 songs on Exhale have been played on various radio stations such as 91.7 KXT, 88.1 KNTU, and 102.1 The Edge, here in the Dallas metroplex.
All albums can be heard on Lala, Napster, and Rhapsody. And selections can be heard on http://www.myspace.com/hendrickmusic, usually getting over 100 plays a day.
Photos
Bio
London via Dallas, Texas.
Formed out of Josh Hendrick's solo project, and is now 2 albums & 1 EP into their recording days as "Hendrick".
"Exhale", the new album, has been 2 and a half years in the making. It's full of sweeping epics, with a few short & sweet pop songs thrown in, to boot.
Hendrick has come to a point of collaboration, where songs have become huge ("Echo and the Pass"), yet innovation in pop still shines through ("City Lights"). The new album has recently taken Hendrick to TV (Fox's Good Day program here in Dallas), had 5 of its 11 songs played on Dallas radio (102.1 The Edge Local Show, 91.7 KXT, and 88.1 KNTU), allowed for a packed house at the CD release in the Granada Theater, here in Dallas, and has opened many doors in local media (print, too). Hendrick has been direct support, opening for The Polyphonic Spree, Flickerstick, Ian Moore, Jonathan Tyler & the Northern Lights, and Green River Ordinance.
The sound has been compared to Coldplay, Rufus Wainwright, Elbow, Jeff Buckley, and Sigur Ros.
We can be loud.
You can find Hendrick online at:
http://www.hendrickmusic.com
Myspace at:
http://www.myspace.com/hendrickmusic
Twitter @hendrickmusic
Facebook at:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Hendrick/56196569149
and Pure Volume at:
http://www.purevolume.com/hendrick
3 years worth of live performances at the Granada on Youtube are here:
http://www.youtube.com/profile?user=granadamusiclive&view=videos&query=hendrick
And our television performance is here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SAhYubHVIfI
Links
