Unlimited Streaming
Listen to this album in high quality now on our apps
Start my trial period and start listening to this albumEnjoy this album on Qobuz apps with your subscription
SubscribeEnjoy this album on Qobuz apps with your subscription
Digital Download
Purchase and download this album in a wide variety of formats depending on your needs.
Language available : english
Hem made a quiet stir with their 2001 release Rabbit Songs, notable for its lush orchestral backdrop and the casually sexy and innocent whisperings of vocalist Sally Ellyson. The fact that a gentle folk ensemble could even be heard amidst the Britneys and Xtinas of the new millennium is a testament to Hem's intangible qualities. Fans of their debut will be happy to hear that their 2004 follow-up Eveningland is completely devoid of techno drum loops, pitch-corrected teen angst, and the only super-famous guest star is the quietly brilliant (and unobtrusive) Josh Rouse. Clarinets provide reedy countermelodies to the sighing violins, and campfire acoustic guitars buoy Ellyson's lullabies along on burlap mists through dusty woodcut images. Largely orchestrated by songwriter Dan Messé, the songs retain the timeless quality of Appalachian folk music without ever sounding dated. The music occasionally ranges through blissful '70s AM pop (the Carpenters), with hints of the big British folk ensembles (Pentangle, Fairport Convention), and sighing pedal steel reminiscent of terrific '90s Americana (Cowboy Junkies, Mojave Three) and dreamy pop (Mazzy Star, the Sundays) all of which assemble on the same wooden front porch for a starry evening of acoustic introspection. The album begins subtly with the understated "The Fire Thief," moving slowly into the bright ballad "Receiver" and through a warmly subdued version of the Johnny Cash/June Carter duet "Jackson." The only fault with the album may be that it is not as surprising as their debut, and since it is simply more of the same terrific music, it doesn't broadside the listener in the same new and fresh way. The Hem project began as an attempt to create something lasting, and Eveningland proves that their debut was no fluke. While Hem will probably never appear on MTV (not even early in the morning) or get 30 spins a week on Hot Hits Z-101, their music may sneak into the hearts of unassuming listeners through NPR's All Things Considered and maybe on a CD sampler in a roots music magazine, and those lucky listeners will cherish these songs, holding them close to their hearts with eyes closed and smiles wide, knowing that they hold something truly precious.
© Zac Johnson /TiVo
You are currently listening to samples.
Listen to over 100 million songs with an unlimited streaming plan.
Listen to this playlist and more than 100 million songs with our unlimited streaming plans.
From 12,49€/month
Greg Calbi, Masterer, MasteringEngineer - Arjun Agerwala, Recording - Steve Fallone, Engineer, Masterer - Geoff Sanoff, Engineer, Recorder - Catherine Popper, Double Bass, Vocals, Upright Bass - Rudyard Lee Cullers, Mixer, Engineer & Mixer, Recording - TJ Doherty, Mixer, Engineer & Mixer - Suzanne Kapa, Recording - Hem, MainArtist - Dawn Landes, Mixer, Engineer & Mixer, Recording - Gary Maurer, Producer, Mixer, Engineer, Guitar, Mandolin, Recorder - Eric Hanson, Recording - Daniel Messe, Producer, Glockenspiel, Piano - Ladislav Krajcovic, Engineer - Vaclav Frhal, Engineer - Martin Roller, Engineer - Jan Dosek, Engineer - Tomas Branicky, Engineer - Otto Nopp, Engineer - Andy Saroff, Mixer, Engineer & Mixer - Slovak National Radio Orchestra, Orchestra - Sally Ellyson, Vocals - Mark Brotter, Drums - Heather Zimmerman, Violin - Bob Hoffnar, Guitar - Greg Pliska, Conductor, Arranger - Steve Curtis, Banjo, Guitar, Mandolin, Vocals - Dan Messé, Writer
© 2005 Waveland Records under exclusive licence to Parlophone Records Ltd ℗ 2004 Waveland Records under exclusive licence to Parlophone Records Ltd
Greg Calbi, Masterer, MasteringEngineer - Arjun Agerwala, Recording - Steve Fallone, Engineer, Masterer - Geoff Sanoff, Engineer, Recorder - Catherine Popper, Double Bass, Vocals, Upright Bass - Rudyard Lee Cullers, Mixer, Engineer & Mixer, Recording - TJ Doherty, Mixer, Engineer & Mixer - Suzanne Kapa, Recording - Hem, MainArtist - Dawn Landes, Mixer, Engineer & Mixer, Recording - Gary Maurer, Producer, Mixer, Engineer, Guitar, Mandolin, Recorder - Eric Hanson, Recording - Daniel Messe, Producer, Glockenspiel, Piano - Ladislav Krajcovic, Engineer - Vaclav Frhal, Engineer - Martin Roller, Engineer - Jan Dosek, Engineer - Tomas Branicky, Engineer - Otto Nopp, Engineer - Andy Saroff, Mixer, Engineer & Mixer - Slovak National Radio Orchestra, Orchestra - Sally Ellyson, Vocals - Mark Brotter, Drums - Heather Zimmerman, Violin - Bob Hoffnar, Guitar - Greg Pliska, Conductor, Arranger - Steve Curtis, Banjo, Guitar, Mandolin, Vocals
© 2005 Waveland Records under exclusive licence to Parlophone Records Ltd ℗ 2004 Waveland Records under exclusive licence to Parlophone Records Ltd
Greg Calbi, Masterer, MasteringEngineer - Arjun Agerwala, Recording - Steve Fallone, Engineer, Masterer - Geoff Sanoff, Engineer, Recorder - Catherine Popper, Double Bass, Vocals, Upright Bass - Rudyard Lee Cullers, Mixer, Engineer & Mixer, Recording - TJ Doherty, Mixer, Engineer & Mixer - Suzanne Kapa, Recording - Hem, MainArtist - Dawn Landes, Mixer, Engineer & Mixer, Recording - Gary Maurer, Producer, Mixer, Engineer, Guitar, Mandolin, Recorder - Eric Hanson, Recording - Daniel Messe, Producer, Glockenspiel, Piano - Ladislav Krajcovic, Engineer - Vaclav Frhal, Engineer - Martin Roller, Engineer - Jan Dosek, Engineer - Tomas Branicky, Engineer - Otto Nopp, Engineer - Andy Saroff, Mixer, Engineer & Mixer - Slovak National Radio Orchestra, Orchestra - Sally Ellyson, Vocals - Mark Brotter, Drums - Heather Zimmerman, Violin - Bob Hoffnar, Guitar - Greg Pliska, Conductor, Arranger - Steve Curtis, Banjo, Guitar, Mandolin, Vocals
© 2005 Waveland Records under exclusive licence to Parlophone Records Ltd ℗ 2004 Waveland Records under exclusive licence to Parlophone Records Ltd
Greg Calbi, Masterer, MasteringEngineer - John Holbrook, Mixer - Arjun Agerwala, Recording - Steve Fallone, Engineer, Masterer - Geoff Sanoff, Engineer, Recorder - Catherine Popper, Double Bass, Vocals, Upright Bass - Rudyard Lee Cullers, Mixer, Engineer & Mixer, Recording - TJ Doherty, Mixer, Engineer & Mixer - Suzanne Kapa, Recording - Hem, MainArtist - Dawn Landes, Mixer, Engineer & Mixer, Recording - Gary Maurer, Producer, Engineer, Guitar, Mandolin, Recorder - Eric Hanson, Recording - Daniel Messe, Producer, Glockenspiel, Piano - Ladislav Krajcovic, Engineer - Vaclav Frhal, Engineer - Martin Roller, Engineer - Jan Dosek, Engineer - Tomas Branicky, Engineer - Otto Nopp, Engineer - Andy Saroff, Mixer, Engineer & Mixer - Slovak National Radio Orchestra, Orchestra - Sally Ellyson, Vocals - Mark Brotter, Drums - Heather Zimmerman, Violin - Bob Hoffnar, Guitar - Greg Pliska, Conductor, Arranger - Steve Curtis, Banjo, Guitar, Mandolin, Vocals
© 2005 Waveland Records under exclusive licence to Parlophone Records Ltd ℗ 2004 Waveland Records under exclusive licence to Parlophone Records Ltd
Greg Calbi, Masterer, MasteringEngineer - Arjun Agerwala, Recording - Steve Fallone, Engineer, Masterer - Geoff Sanoff, Engineer, Recorder - Catherine Popper, Double Bass, Vocals, Upright Bass - Rudyard Lee Cullers, Mixer, Engineer & Mixer, Recording - TJ Doherty, Mixer, Engineer & Mixer - Suzanne Kapa, Recording - Hem, MainArtist - Dawn Landes, Mixer, Engineer & Mixer, Recording - Gary Maurer, Producer, Mixer, Engineer, Guitar, Mandolin, Recorder - Eric Hanson, Recording - Daniel Messe, Producer, Glockenspiel, Piano - Ladislav Krajcovic, Engineer - Vaclav Frhal, Engineer - Martin Roller, Engineer - Jan Dosek, Engineer - Tomas Branicky, Engineer - Otto Nopp, Engineer - Andy Saroff, Mixer, Engineer & Mixer - Slovak National Radio Orchestra, Orchestra - Sally Ellyson, Vocals - Mark Brotter, Drums - Heather Zimmerman, Violin - Bob Hoffnar, Guitar - Greg Pliska, Conductor, Arranger - Steve Curtis, Banjo, Guitar, Mandolin, Vocals
© 2005 Waveland Records under exclusive licence to Parlophone Records Ltd ℗ 2004 Waveland Records under exclusive licence to Parlophone Records Ltd
Greg Calbi, Masterer, MasteringEngineer - Arjun Agerwala, Recording - Steve Fallone, Engineer, Masterer - Geoff Sanoff, Engineer, Recorder - Catherine Popper, Double Bass, Vocals, Upright Bass - Rudyard Lee Cullers, Mixer, Engineer & Mixer, Recording - TJ Doherty, Mixer, Engineer & Mixer - Suzanne Kapa, Recording - Hem, MainArtist - Dawn Landes, Mixer, Engineer & Mixer, Recording - Gary Maurer, Producer, Mixer, Engineer, Guitar, Mandolin, Recorder - Eric Hanson, Recording - Daniel Messe, Producer, Glockenspiel, Piano - Ladislav Krajcovic, Engineer - Vaclav Frhal, Engineer - Martin Roller, Engineer - Jan Dosek, Engineer - Tomas Branicky, Engineer - Otto Nopp, Engineer - Andy Saroff, Mixer, Engineer & Mixer - Slovak National Radio Orchestra, Orchestra - Sally Ellyson, Vocals - Mark Brotter, Drums - Heather Zimmerman, Violin - Bob Hoffnar, Guitar - Greg Pliska, Conductor, Arranger - Steve Curtis, Banjo, Guitar, Mandolin, Vocals
© 2005 Waveland Records under exclusive licence to Parlophone Records Ltd ℗ 2004 Waveland Records under exclusive licence to Parlophone Records Ltd
Greg Calbi, Masterer, MasteringEngineer - Arjun Agerwala, Recording - Steve Fallone, Engineer, Masterer - Geoff Sanoff, Engineer, Recorder - Catherine Popper, Double Bass, Vocals, Upright Bass - Rudyard Lee Cullers, Mixer, Engineer & Mixer, Recording - TJ Doherty, Mixer, Engineer & Mixer - Suzanne Kapa, Recording - Hem, MainArtist - Dawn Landes, Mixer, Engineer & Mixer, Recording - Gary Maurer, Producer, Mixer, Engineer, Guitar, Mandolin, Recorder - Eric Hanson, Recording - Daniel Messe, Producer, Glockenspiel, Piano - Ladislav Krajcovic, Engineer - Vaclav Frhal, Engineer - Martin Roller, Engineer - Jan Dosek, Engineer - Tomas Branicky, Engineer - Otto Nopp, Engineer - Andy Saroff, Mixer, Engineer & Mixer - Slovak National Radio Orchestra, Orchestra - Sally Ellyson, Vocals - Mark Brotter, Drums - Heather Zimmerman, Violin - Bob Hoffnar, Guitar - Greg Pliska, Conductor, Arranger - Steve Curtis, Banjo, Guitar, Mandolin, Vocals
© 2005 Waveland Records under exclusive licence to Parlophone Records Ltd ℗ 2004 Waveland Records under exclusive licence to Parlophone Records Ltd
Greg Calbi, Masterer, MasteringEngineer - Arjun Agerwala, Recording - Steve Fallone, Engineer, Masterer - Geoff Sanoff, Engineer, Recorder - Catherine Popper, Double Bass, Vocals, Upright Bass - Rudyard Lee Cullers, Mixer, Engineer & Mixer, Recording - TJ Doherty, Mixer, Engineer & Mixer - Suzanne Kapa, Recording - Hem, MainArtist - Dawn Landes, Mixer, Engineer & Mixer, Recording - Gary Maurer, Producer, Mixer, Engineer, Guitar, Mandolin, Recorder - Eric Hanson, Recording - Daniel Messe, Producer, Glockenspiel, Piano - Ladislav Krajcovic, Engineer - Vaclav Frhal, Engineer - Martin Roller, Engineer - Jan Dosek, Engineer - Tomas Branicky, Engineer - Otto Nopp, Engineer - Andy Saroff, Mixer, Engineer & Mixer - Slovak National Radio Orchestra, Orchestra - Sally Ellyson, Vocals - Mark Brotter, Drums - Heather Zimmerman, Violin - Bob Hoffnar, Guitar - Greg Pliska, Conductor, Arranger - Steve Curtis, Banjo, Guitar, Mandolin, Vocals
© 2005 Waveland Records under exclusive licence to Parlophone Records Ltd ℗ 2004 Waveland Records under exclusive licence to Parlophone Records Ltd
Greg Calbi, Masterer, MasteringEngineer - Arjun Agerwala, Recording - Steve Fallone, Engineer, Masterer - Geoff Sanoff, Engineer, Recorder - Catherine Popper, Double Bass, Vocals, Upright Bass - Rudyard Lee Cullers, Mixer, Engineer & Mixer, Recording - TJ Doherty, Mixer, Engineer & Mixer - Suzanne Kapa, Recording - Hem, MainArtist - Dawn Landes, Mixer, Engineer & Mixer, Recording - Gary Maurer, Producer, Mixer, Engineer, Guitar, Mandolin, Recorder - Eric Hanson, Recording - Daniel Messe, Producer, Glockenspiel, Piano - Ladislav Krajcovic, Engineer - Vaclav Frhal, Engineer - Martin Roller, Engineer - Jan Dosek, Engineer - Tomas Branicky, Engineer - Otto Nopp, Engineer - Andy Saroff, Mixer, Engineer & Mixer - Slovak National Radio Orchestra, Orchestra - Sally Ellyson, Vocals - Mark Brotter, Drums - Heather Zimmerman, Violin - Bob Hoffnar, Guitar - Greg Pliska, Conductor, Arranger - Steve Curtis, Banjo, Guitar, Mandolin, Vocals
© 2005 Waveland Records under exclusive licence to Parlophone Records Ltd ℗ 2004 Waveland Records under exclusive licence to Parlophone Records Ltd
Greg Calbi, Masterer, MasteringEngineer - Arjun Agerwala, Recording - Steve Fallone, Engineer, Masterer - Geoff Sanoff, Engineer, Recorder - Catherine Popper, Double Bass, Vocals, Upright Bass - Rudyard Lee Cullers, Mixer, Engineer & Mixer, Recording - TJ Doherty, Mixer, Engineer & Mixer - Suzanne Kapa, Recording - Hem, MainArtist - Dawn Landes, Mixer, Engineer & Mixer, Recording - Gary Maurer, Producer, Mixer, Engineer, Guitar, Mandolin, Recorder - Eric Hanson, Recording - Daniel Messe, Producer, Glockenspiel, Piano - Ladislav Krajcovic, Engineer - Vaclav Frhal, Engineer - Martin Roller, Engineer - Jan Dosek, Engineer - Tomas Branicky, Engineer - Otto Nopp, Engineer - Andy Saroff, Mixer, Engineer & Mixer - Slovak National Radio Orchestra, Orchestra - Sally Ellyson, Vocals - Mark Brotter, Drums - Heather Zimmerman, Violin - Bob Hoffnar, Guitar - Greg Pliska, Conductor, Arranger - Steve Curtis, Banjo, Guitar, Mandolin, Vocals
© 2005 Waveland Records under exclusive licence to Parlophone Records Ltd ℗ 2004 Waveland Records under exclusive licence to Parlophone Records Ltd
Jerry Leiber, Composer - Greg Calbi, Masterer, MasteringEngineer - Arjun Agerwala, Recording - Steve Fallone, Engineer, Masterer - Geoff Sanoff, Engineer, Recorder - Catherine Popper, Double Bass, Vocals, Upright Bass - Rudyard Lee Cullers, Mixer, Engineer & Mixer, Recording - TJ Doherty, Mixer, Engineer & Mixer - Suzanne Kapa, Recording - Hem, MainArtist - Dawn Landes, Mixer, Engineer & Mixer, Recording - Gary Maurer, Producer, Mixer, Engineer, Guitar, Mandolin, Recorder - Eric Hanson, Recording - Daniel Messe, Producer, Glockenspiel, Piano - Ladislav Krajcovic, Engineer - Vaclav Frhal, Engineer - Martin Roller, Engineer - Jan Dosek, Engineer - Tomas Branicky, Engineer - Otto Nopp, Engineer - Andy Saroff, Mixer, Engineer & Mixer - Slovak National Radio Orchestra, Orchestra - Sally Ellyson, Vocals - Mark Brotter, Drums - Heather Zimmerman, Violin - Bob Hoffnar, Guitar - Greg Pliska, Conductor, Arranger - Steve Curtis, Banjo, Guitar, Mandolin, Vocals
© 2005 Waveland Records under exclusive licence to Parlophone Records Ltd ℗ 2004 Waveland Records under exclusive licence to Parlophone Records Ltd
Greg Calbi, Masterer, MasteringEngineer - Arjun Agerwala, Recording - Steve Fallone, Engineer, Masterer - Geoff Sanoff, Engineer, Recorder - Catherine Popper, Double Bass, Vocals, Upright Bass - Rudyard Lee Cullers, Mixer, Engineer & Mixer, Recording - TJ Doherty, Mixer, Engineer & Mixer - Suzanne Kapa, Recording - Hem, MainArtist - Dawn Landes, Mixer, Engineer & Mixer, Recording - Gary Maurer, Producer, Mixer, Engineer, Guitar, Mandolin, Recorder - Eric Hanson, Recording - Daniel Messe, Producer, Glockenspiel, Piano - Ladislav Krajcovic, Engineer - Vaclav Frhal, Engineer - Martin Roller, Engineer - Jan Dosek, Engineer - Tomas Branicky, Engineer - Otto Nopp, Engineer - Andy Saroff, Mixer, Engineer & Mixer - Slovak National Radio Orchestra, Orchestra - Sally Ellyson, Vocals - Mark Brotter, Drums - Heather Zimmerman, Violin - Bob Hoffnar, Guitar - Greg Pliska, Conductor, Arranger - Steve Curtis, Banjo, Guitar, Mandolin, Vocals
© 2005 Waveland Records under exclusive licence to Parlophone Records Ltd ℗ 2004 Waveland Records under exclusive licence to Parlophone Records Ltd
Greg Calbi, Masterer, MasteringEngineer - Arjun Agerwala, Recording - Steve Fallone, Engineer, Masterer - Geoff Sanoff, Engineer, Recorder - Catherine Popper, Double Bass, Vocals, Upright Bass - Rudyard Lee Cullers, Mixer, Engineer & Mixer, Recording - TJ Doherty, Mixer, Engineer & Mixer - Suzanne Kapa, Recording - Hem, MainArtist - Dawn Landes, Mixer, Engineer & Mixer, Recording - Gary Maurer, Producer, Mixer, Engineer, Guitar, Mandolin, Recorder - Eric Hanson, Recording - Daniel Messe, Producer, Glockenspiel, Piano - Ladislav Krajcovic, Engineer - Vaclav Frhal, Engineer - Martin Roller, Engineer - Jan Dosek, Engineer - Tomas Branicky, Engineer - Otto Nopp, Engineer - Andy Saroff, Mixer, Engineer & Mixer - Slovak National Radio Orchestra, Orchestra - Sally Ellyson, Vocals - Mark Brotter, Drums - Heather Zimmerman, Violin - Bob Hoffnar, Guitar - Greg Pliska, Conductor, Arranger - Steve Curtis, Banjo, Guitar, Mandolin, Vocals
© 2005 Waveland Records under exclusive licence to Parlophone Records Ltd ℗ 2004 Waveland Records under exclusive licence to Parlophone Records Ltd
Greg Calbi, Masterer, MasteringEngineer - Arjun Agerwala, Recording - Steve Fallone, Engineer, Masterer - Geoff Sanoff, Engineer, Recorder - Catherine Popper, Double Bass, Vocals, Upright Bass - Rudyard Lee Cullers, Mixer, Engineer & Mixer, Recording - TJ Doherty, Mixer, Engineer & Mixer - Suzanne Kapa, Recording - Hem, MainArtist - Dawn Landes, Mixer, Engineer & Mixer, Recording - Gary Maurer, Producer, Mixer, Engineer, Guitar, Mandolin, Recorder - Eric Hanson, Recording - Daniel Messe, Producer, Glockenspiel, Piano - Ladislav Krajcovic, Engineer - Vaclav Frhal, Engineer - Martin Roller, Engineer - Jan Dosek, Engineer - Tomas Branicky, Engineer - Otto Nopp, Engineer - Andy Saroff, Mixer, Engineer & Mixer - Slovak National Radio Orchestra, Orchestra - Sally Ellyson, Vocals - Mark Brotter, Drums - Heather Zimmerman, Violin - Bob Hoffnar, Guitar - Greg Pliska, Conductor, Arranger - Steve Curtis, Banjo, Guitar, Mandolin, Vocals
© 2005 Waveland Records under exclusive licence to Parlophone Records Ltd ℗ 2004 Waveland Records under exclusive licence to Parlophone Records Ltd
Greg Calbi, Masterer, MasteringEngineer - Arjun Agerwala, Recording - Steve Fallone, Engineer, Masterer - Geoff Sanoff, Engineer, Recorder - Catherine Popper, Double Bass, Vocals, Upright Bass - Rudyard Lee Cullers, Mixer, Engineer & Mixer, Recording - TJ Doherty, Mixer, Engineer & Mixer - Suzanne Kapa, Recording - Hem, MainArtist - Dawn Landes, Mixer, Engineer & Mixer, Recording - Gary Maurer, Producer, Mixer, Engineer, Guitar, Mandolin, Recorder - Eric Hanson, Recording - Daniel Messe, Producer, Glockenspiel, Piano - Ladislav Krajcovic, Engineer - Vaclav Frhal, Engineer - Martin Roller, Engineer - Jan Dosek, Engineer - Tomas Branicky, Engineer - Otto Nopp, Engineer - Andy Saroff, Mixer, Engineer & Mixer - Slovak National Radio Orchestra, Orchestra - Sally Ellyson, Vocals - Mark Brotter, Drums - Heather Zimmerman, Violin - Bob Hoffnar, Guitar - Greg Pliska, Conductor, Arranger - Steve Curtis, Banjo, Guitar, Mandolin, Vocals
© 2005 Waveland Records under exclusive licence to Parlophone Records Ltd ℗ 2004 Waveland Records under exclusive licence to Parlophone Records Ltd
Greg Calbi, Masterer, MasteringEngineer - Arjun Agerwala, Recording - Steve Fallone, Engineer, Masterer - Geoff Sanoff, Engineer, Recorder - Catherine Popper, Double Bass, Vocals, Upright Bass - Rudyard Lee Cullers, Mixer, Engineer & Mixer, Recording - TJ Doherty, Mixer, Engineer & Mixer - Suzanne Kapa, Recording - Hem, MainArtist - Dawn Landes, Mixer, Engineer & Mixer, Recording - Gary Maurer, Producer, Mixer, Engineer, Guitar, Mandolin, Recorder - Eric Hanson, Recording - Daniel Messe, Producer, Glockenspiel, Piano - Ladislav Krajcovic, Engineer - Vaclav Frhal, Engineer - Martin Roller, Engineer - Jan Dosek, Engineer - Tomas Branicky, Engineer - Otto Nopp, Engineer - Andy Saroff, Mixer, Engineer & Mixer - Slovak National Radio Orchestra, Orchestra - Sally Ellyson, Vocals - Mark Brotter, Drums - Heather Zimmerman, Violin - Bob Hoffnar, Guitar - Greg Pliska, Conductor, Arranger - Steve Curtis, Banjo, Guitar, Mandolin, Vocals
© 2005 Waveland Records under exclusive licence to Parlophone Records Ltd ℗ 2004 Waveland Records under exclusive licence to Parlophone Records Ltd
Albumbeschreibung
Hem made a quiet stir with their 2001 release Rabbit Songs, notable for its lush orchestral backdrop and the casually sexy and innocent whisperings of vocalist Sally Ellyson. The fact that a gentle folk ensemble could even be heard amidst the Britneys and Xtinas of the new millennium is a testament to Hem's intangible qualities. Fans of their debut will be happy to hear that their 2004 follow-up Eveningland is completely devoid of techno drum loops, pitch-corrected teen angst, and the only super-famous guest star is the quietly brilliant (and unobtrusive) Josh Rouse. Clarinets provide reedy countermelodies to the sighing violins, and campfire acoustic guitars buoy Ellyson's lullabies along on burlap mists through dusty woodcut images. Largely orchestrated by songwriter Dan Messé, the songs retain the timeless quality of Appalachian folk music without ever sounding dated. The music occasionally ranges through blissful '70s AM pop (the Carpenters), with hints of the big British folk ensembles (Pentangle, Fairport Convention), and sighing pedal steel reminiscent of terrific '90s Americana (Cowboy Junkies, Mojave Three) and dreamy pop (Mazzy Star, the Sundays) all of which assemble on the same wooden front porch for a starry evening of acoustic introspection. The album begins subtly with the understated "The Fire Thief," moving slowly into the bright ballad "Receiver" and through a warmly subdued version of the Johnny Cash/June Carter duet "Jackson." The only fault with the album may be that it is not as surprising as their debut, and since it is simply more of the same terrific music, it doesn't broadside the listener in the same new and fresh way. The Hem project began as an attempt to create something lasting, and Eveningland proves that their debut was no fluke. While Hem will probably never appear on MTV (not even early in the morning) or get 30 spins a week on Hot Hits Z-101, their music may sneak into the hearts of unassuming listeners through NPR's All Things Considered and maybe on a CD sampler in a roots music magazine, and those lucky listeners will cherish these songs, holding them close to their hearts with eyes closed and smiles wide, knowing that they hold something truly precious.
© Zac Johnson /TiVo
About the album
- 1 disc(s) - 16 track(s)
- Total length: 00:51:43
- Main artists: Hem
- Composer: Jerry Leiber
- Label: Parlophone UK
- Genre: Wereldmuziek
© 2005 Waveland Records under exclusive licence to Parlophone Records Ltd ℗ 2005 Waveland Records under exclusive licence to Parlophone Records Ltd
Improve album informationWhy buy on Qobuz...
-
Stream or download your music
Buy an album or an individual track. Or listen to our entire catalogue with our high-quality unlimited streaming subscriptions.
-
Zero DRM
The downloaded files belong to you, without any usage limit. You can download them as many times as you like.
-
Choose the format best suited for you
Download your purchases in a wide variety of formats (FLAC, ALAC, WAV, AIFF...) depending on your needs.
-
Listen to your purchases on our apps
Download the Qobuz apps for smartphones, tablets and computers, and listen to your purchases wherever you go.