henry-girls-louder-then-words.jpg?w=640It’s seems as though a barrage of female trios have stormed upon the music scene in recent times. Around longer than most, our homegrown sisters Karen, Lorna and Joleen McLaughlin, known as The Henry Girls, bear their musical artillery in the shape of their fourth album ‘Louder Than Words.’ Goldenplec takes a sheltered listen.

Released at the turn of the new year, the album opens with the wonderfully western James Monroe. It’s quick to catch a lively rhythm and melody by the tail and moves along magically, like that of campfire story tales. The Weather follows up with its G rated lyrics and mothering melody. It works wonderfully with blends of each McLaughlin sister but ultimately hovers too lightly before achieving any real greatness. Certainly a song to enjoy when smiles are the order of the day, yet not one to console the heart.

The Henry Girls are from Malin, County Donegal, a place where country roots run deep. The country elements draw forward with the smooth and effortless Maybe; the trio’s first single. While it meanders cutely through a sense of sweet melody and steady rhythm, the vocals warmly shine like the sun’s morning glow through the curtains. It may be guilty of not reaching a great, selling climax, but maybe that’s not where it needs to go and subtlety can sometimes be underrated. Incredibly, this is the Henry Girls fourth album; it’s a crime of great shame for anyone to ignore the calling voice of these women.

The middle section of this pop-country-folk album hits a minor slump with the flagrant and overly produced No Matter What You Say. Reason To Believe re-draws the more heartfelt mood which the Henry Girls had washed all over the opening few songs. The mingled vocals of all three sisters in the middle eight is incredibly soothing.

With the soul appeased, a more traditional Irish-infused approach takes the forefront for the wonderfully delicate Light In The Window. The real highlight however appears in the form of the delicate Home. Simple songs about simple things is how musical honesty prevails. The chorus sings “how do I get home.” It achieves a tremendous fullness through the simple use of a choir of voices in its final stages. While the point of So Long But Not Goodbye and It’s Not Easy may be to explore the sound of travel, they fall slightly short of suiting the theme of the album. Overall it’s a little too whacky.

Utilizing a mixture of instruments including the ukelele, guitar, fiddle, accordion, piano, mandolin and even the harp – a traditionalist’s favourite, the Henry Girls certainly have a high value in musical stock. Country has stood strong on this little isle for many a year and with the recent ticket haul for a certain Garth, you can’t help but assume these girls will ride gleefully in the wake left by Mr Brooks.