Henrietta – Paper Wings

Henrietta are a quartet from Orlando, Florida, Paper Wings follows up on their 2015 debut, The Trick Is Not Minding, and it picks up exactly where that album left off. The first things that strikes you about Paper Wings is the artwork, it really is a thing of beauty, but I’m sure we’ve all bought something in a nice box that disguised the contents within, is this the case with Henrietta‘s latest release?

The production on this album, although I’d be tempted to call it a mini album, is excellent, balancing the subtle guitar touches alongside the powerful drumming and the taut emotionally strained vocal delivery. For me the title track that opens proceedings is the strongest offering on here, it is a well crafted downbeat piece of indie rock that boasts beautiful guitar work, although if I’m honest that description could apply to any of the seven tracks that populate Paper Wings. This isn’t intended as a negative, but I do feel that some more variety in the content of the album would have been the missing ingredient, this minor touch could have elevated this album, that and a few more songs.

The seven tracks contained on Paper Wings offer an atmospheric and emotional soundtrack to long summer days, this is an album that just drifts gently over you. Sadly there’s nothing on Paper Wings to hook the casual listener into the album and there is no obvious track that will gain them new converts, but these are minor criticisms for what is a consistent and well written album. Henrietta are a band that walks the fine, at times invisible, line between indie rock and alt rock, they achieve this balancing act whilst displaying mature songwriting and some inspired musicianship, they’re just lacking that extra element that could lead to great things for them.

Paper Wings can be purchased here