Hem (band)

Infobox musical artist
Name = Hem


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Origin = New York, New York, United States
Genre = Alternative pop, folk
Years_active = 1999–present
Label = Nettwerk
Rounder Records
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Current_members = Mark Brotter (drums)
Steve Curtis (guitar, mandolin, banjo)
Sally Ellyson (vocals)
Bob Hoffnar (pedal steel guitar)
Gary Maurer (guitar)
Dan Messé (piano)
George Rush (bass)
Heather Zimmerman (violin)
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Hem is an indie folk-rock band, fusing together a mix of traditional American music with newer style. They consider themselves to be a "countrypolitan" band. Band members include Sally Ellyson (vocals), Dan Messé (piano, accordion, glockenspiel), Gary Maurer (guitar, mandolin), Steve Curtis (guitar, mandolin, banjo, back-up vocals), George Rush (bass guitar), Mark Brotter (drums), Bob Hoffnar (pedal steel guitar), and Heather Zimmerman (violin).

Band history

In 1999, songwriter Dan Messé and producer Gary Maurer teamed up and decided to produce a record. A mutual friend, Steve Curtis, quickly hopped on the bandwagon. None of them knew any potential singing talents for the band, so they placed an advertisement in "The Village Voice". Overwhelmed by an onslaught of bizarre and unlistenable demo tapes, the three friends soon abandoned their quest.

However, months later, a woman by the name of Sally Ellyson called Messé in response to the ad, cautioning that she wasn't really a "singer". A skeptical Messé asked Ellyson for a demo tape and was greatly surprised when he heard the very spare recording, which featured Ellyson's accapella renditions of several old-time lullabies that she had recorded for the infant son of a long-time friend. Messé was impressed — and Hem had finally found itself a singer. Ellyson was soon whisked into New York recording studio, Stratosphere sound, to record vocals on tracks that would later become the album "Rabbit Songs"

Several of Ellyson's lullabies have since surfaced on subsequent Hem releases. "Rabbit Songs" opened with the lullaby "Lord, Blow the Moon Out, Please." from the original demo tape."Eveningland" featured "Now the Day is Over" as a hidden track (after the song "Carry Me Home"), and the band's third album opened with yet another lullaby, "All the Pretty Horses."

"Rabbit Songs" was widely acclaimed in the U.S. music press. The album received glowing praise in a feature story on NPR's "All Things Considered" [http://www.npr.org/programs/asc/archives/asc22/] and garnered an enthusiastic review from "Entertainment Weekly" [http://www.ew.com/ew/article/review/music/0,6115,404023_4%7C78732%7C%7C0_0_,00.html] , among others.

Unfortunately, problems at Hem's new label, Dreamworks Records, delayed the release of the band's second album. Finally, in late 2004, "Eveningland" was released on Rounder Records. "Eveningland" capitalized on the success of "Rabbit Songs", enjoying positive reviews in the U.S. from the likes of Pitchfork Media [http://pitchforkmedia.com/article/record_review/18619-eveningland] as well as from international media outlets, such as the BBC [http://www.bbc.co.uk/music/folkcountry/reviews/hem_eveningland.shtml] .

In early 2006, Hem's third album, "No Word From Tom", was released by Nettwerk. In much the same vein as the band's EP "I'm Talking With My Mouth"), "No Word From Tom" showcased a collection of cover songs, live versions of original songs from prior albums, and some new material.

Later in 2006, Hem received a career boost 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."

Hem's fourth album, "Funnel Cloud", was released on September 5, 2006. "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." [http://www.npr.org/programs/asc/] Funnel Cloud was dedicated to the memory of Dermot FitzGerald who helped to finance the band during their early career.

In 2007, the band received another career boost when they played with the Boston Pops at Symphony Hall, for the Boston Pops' annual event Edgefest.

Trivia

*The first track off of "Rabbit Songs", "Lord Blow the Moon Out Please" is one of the original songs from the demo tape Sally sent in to Dan.

*Including overseas releases, "Rabbit Songs" has been issued and reissued a total of eight times as of 2006.

*The band co-wrote a song with popstar Mandy Moore for her Wild Hope album called, "Could Have Been Watching You". Although not on the record, the song was released in a Target special version with two bonus tracks, one of which is "Could Have Been Watching You".

*The song "Not California" was written by Dan Messe as a love song for his wife. She complained to him that he never wrote her love songs. The song is about his wife's fascination with the television program "The O.C." The song's protagonist is trying to make her lover see that the people on the television aren't really important which is evident in the lyrics "I'm the one who wants to be with you tonight" and the declaration "It's not California here."

Discography

Hem has released a number of albums and EPs on a variety of record labels.

Albums

*"Rabbit Songs" (CD) - DreamWorks - 2002
*"Eveningland" (CD) - Rounder Records - 2004
*"No Word From Tom" (CD) - Nettwerk - 2006
*"Funnel Cloud" (CD) - Nettwerk - 2006

EPs and Singles

*"I'm Talking With My Mouth" EP (CD) - Set - 2002
*"Birds, Beasts, & Flowers" EP (CD) - Arena Rock Recording Co. - 2004
* "Home Again, Home Again" EP (CD) - 2007

Compilations

*"" (CD) - Arena Rock Recording Co. - 2001
*"Almost You: The Songs of Elvis Costello" (CD) - Bar None Records - 2003
*"Stockings By the Fire" (CD) - Hear Music - "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" - 2007

External links

* [http://www.hemmusic.com/ Hem's official website]
* [http://www.allabouthem.com/ All About Hem fansite]
* [http://www.archive.org/details/Hem Hem collection] at the Internet Archive's live music archive
* [http://arenarock.com Arena Rock Recording Co.]