Henrietta

Released:
August 26, 2014 - Animal Style

AP Rating:
It took six years for Orlando, Florida, act Henrietta to cobble enough songs together to comprise a proper full-length, but you can hear why they waited. The Trick Is Not Minding definitely sounds like an easy record to file with emo revival at times, but the band often sound wise beyond their years and, occasionally, eons ahead of the trends. Leaning closer to Manchester Orchestra than, say, Mineral, vocalist/guitarist Manny Urdaneta leads with husky, emotive vocals that carry deliberation and restraint, reverberating throughout the record, while his bandmates churn along with more of a polished indie-rock procession with a thoughtful foundation that gleams and twinkles, taps, heavily jangles or even pounds away.

The refreshing centrality of The Trick Is Not Minding is how it resembles the more progressive points of 2000s emo/indie acts while keeping things grounded and just a shade moody. Take the driving chorus of "Constantinople," which sounds like a more aggressive moment from the Dear Hunter, or "Vacations," whose early bridge parallels the chilling emotional climax from fellow Floridians Oceana's "Joy." "2000 Miles" falsely signals an early, anxious explosion when Urdaneta admits at its start, "I've changed my mind/It happens all the time/The time," and then the song dips into a smoother, unexpectedly settled rhythm.

Granted, if The Trick Is Not Minding let loose on the even light tension that almost consistently brews during its course, it's alarming to think how cathartically great and well-rounded Henrietta could be—or if they cut some of the more dragging, comparatively filler parts (much of which dominate the second half) in favor of a more constant thrust of exciting moments like the ones speckling "Vacations" and the breathy melancholy and post-rock bristling of closer "Orion." As is, though, they've delivered a pretty fresh debut. - Alternative Press

Artist: Henrietta
Album: The Trick is Not Minding
Genre: Alternative/Emo
Label: Animal Style

Henrietta took me by a complete and utter surprise. Maybe I didn’t have my head in the right place, or maybe it was because I wasn’t looking hard enough. Either way, the time it took for Henrietta to make it to my ears was nothing short of a misfortune.

The band’s debut full-length The Trick is Not Minding plays nothing like a debut. It is collected, consistent, massive, and rewarding. Featuring songwriting that showcases a band with a clear image and purpose, The Trick is Not Minding will destroy you from first listen, and continue to surmount its sonic resonance as time continues.

Welcoming listeners with “Give Up Kid,” a somber mood is immediately purposed. Smooth vocals weave in and out of a guitar line so impeccably put together, one can almost hear the exact drum beat needed right before said beat comes in. With little over a minute passed in time, Henrietta enters in full force. Amassed with lush guitars, strained but collected vocals, and erupting rhythms, there is a necessary sense of grit skewed all over the polish of The Trick is Not Minding.

This tear between beauty and sorrow continues with the album, bringing listeners in within the first few measures of “2000 Miles,” the bridge of “Constantinople,” the ending of “A Spectrum,” and the entirety of “Brutus.” The first half of the album is a powerful experience, with memorable moments cast throughout, but the most important sonic aspect to take away is most likely the exceptional skill of songwriting. Every track has an inherit purpose, and within that, every part of a track belongs where it should. The album finds itself a conscious collective of musical expression, carrying each prior experience on the back of the next, creating an incredibly rewarding and dense experience.

The beginning of “Leave It Alone” will leave you on your ass with the combination of hard hitting vocals and musicianship, only to be followed by the calming “Greater Fool.” “Vacations,” “Away From Home,” and “Orion” close out the record perfectly, only solidifying Henrietta’s clear conscience on songwriting.

It’s not typical that I attempt to hit each track in some fashion in a review, but the beautiful thing about The Trick is Not Minding is not that it reinvents the wheel (it doesn’t need to), but that it creates purpose for every sound emitted. With this piece of work you will find no filler, and while each track may vary in resonance with listeners, it can be assured that each track is carefully, and delicately put together to create a piece of art that is refreshing in a sea of over-saturation.

The Trick is Not Minding is purely a beautiful record that will tug on all emotions, all while containing a consistent appreciation for smart songwriting. This record deserves your time.

SCORE: 9/10
Review written by Drew Caruso — Follow him on Twitter. - Under the Gun Review