The seven-year old quartet– vocalist Sally Ellyson, pianist Dan Messé, guitarists Gary Maurer and Steve Curtis – hails from Brooklyn, New York. However, they conjure up such vivid, often pastoral settings and restless, lonesome characters in their songs, you may suspect that they long ago discovered some fantastic, secret portal in an old borough building that instantly transports them from their urban environs to a wide open prairie far, far away. Although Messé, Maurer and Curtis individually and jointly contribute material to Hem’s repertoire, their vision is remarkably unified. As Ellyson, who channels all their imagery, explains, “Each song is its own world. They really show an amazing ability, that I don’t think everyone has, to create a world in song after song that you can become so connected to, that brings you such deep feelings -- pain, joy, sorrow.”
Messé and Maurer – working musicians, composers and producers -- had long wanted, in Messé’s words, “to do this dream project that combined all of our favorite influences, from the Carter Family to Aaron Copland to the Rolling Stones.” They enlisted Messé’s college buddy Curtis to join this quixotic adventure and the trio, likeminded songwriters but not lead singers, decided to place an ad in the Village Voice for vocalists to help them realize their vision. That seemed to yield nothing. Then, well after the listing had expired, Messe got a call from Ellyson, who was a television producer at the time. She’d never sung professionally, but did have a cassette of lullabies she’d recorded for a friend’s child. As Messé, skeptical of her talents until he put on her tape, told the Boston Globe, “I couldn't believe that voice existed... We all sort of feel like it was The Wizard of Oz. Like the exact right person showed up at the exact right time to get us home." Snippets from that tape are included at the beginning of Rabbit Songs and at the end of 2004’s Eveningland.
Since its inception, Hem hasn’t employed any technological shortcuts to achieve its sound; it has been perhaps the most truly independent-minded of indie bands. Dan Messé was so committed to a made-by-human-hands approach that he began selling off his possessions to finance the recording of Rabbit Songs, the band’s 2001 debut. Messé’s act of faith did not go unrewarded; the reviews of Rabbit Songs were nothing short of rapturous. Rolling Stone called it a “a passionate and beautiful folk-pop record”; Time Out London described it as “fragile pastoral Americana...it is rare, rich, sad and innocent, yet warm to the touch and wet with desire.” The Associated Press simply declared it “an exquisite album.” After Rabbit Songs was featured on NPR’s All Things Considered, Hem steadily built a passionate national following.
In late 2004 Hem’s , Eveningland was released on Rounder Records. Eveningland capitalized on the success of Rabbit Songs and was critically lauded from the likes of Pitchfork Media and the The New York Times calling it , “rich” and “emotive” as well as from international media outlets, such as the BBC .
In early 2006, Hem's third album, No Word From Tom, was released by Waveland Records through Nettwerk Productions. In much the same vein as the band's EP I'm Talking With My Mouth release of 2002, No Word From Tom showcased a collection of cover songs, live versions of original songs from prior albums, and some new material.
Hem's fourth album, Funnel Cloud, was released on September 5th, 2006, again through Waveland and Nettwerk. Funnel Cloud was recorded with a 21-piece orchestra, and with help from the likes of former The Smashing Pumpkins guitarist James Iha and Ollabelle vocalist Amy Helm (daughter of Levon Helm). One of the songs from the album, "Not California", was subsequently featured on NPR's "All Songs Considered." Funnel Cloud was dedicated to the memory of Dermot FitzGerald who helped to finance the band during their early career.
Later in 2006, Hem received additional exposure when the song "Half-Acre", from Rabbit Songs, was featured in a television commercial for Liberty Mutual insurance, which brought their music to many who might not otherwise have heard it. In May 2007, in a follow-up campaign, Liberty Mutual used Hem's music once again, debuting a new song, "The Part Where You Let Go." This song along with 4 other new songs and the original theme “Half Acre” was released on the EP Home Again Home Again made available digitally in June, 2007.
Hem has developed a large and loyal international audience, playing shows with artists such as Elvis Costello, Beth Orton and Wilco, and at venues ranging from alternative rock mainstays like Schuba’s Tavern in Chicago to the stunning glass-walled concert hall of Jazz At Lincoln Center overlooking Central Park and now at the spectacular Boston Symphony Hall with the World renowned orchestra The Boston Pops. Yet their sensibility has changed little since the days when Messé’s “dream project” just existed in his head.
Read more...