Hem offers up lush, dreamy Americana.

Artist: Hem
Album: No Word From Tom
Label: Waveland/Nettwerk
Tracks: 18
Review By: Jacob Gehman

If I didn’t know Hem’s music already, the album cover for this CD would have prepared me for some sort of mediocre screamo or metal core band. It’s got that “photoshopped” “just past the point of reality” look to it, common to images altered in some kind of photo editing program. Despite it’s look (evocative of Starflyer 59’s cd, “Old") Hem is a far cry from everything hard rock.

Instead Hem offers up lush, dreamy Americana. The emphasis of Hem’s first album seemed more focused on the Americana side of things. As the band has evolved, however, “lush” and “dreamy” get the lion’s share of the atmosphere. It’s a shift that works really well with their vocalist, Sally Ellyson. She has one of those outstanding voices that, while not at the top with the elite like Emmylou Harris or Neko Case, stands on it’s own. She has the great ability to sing something with authority without sounding like she’s stretching or straining.

Unfortunately, “No Word From Tom” is not a new studio release. Instead it is, to quote the press sheet, “a collection of Covers, Rarities, Outtakes, Demos, and Live Recordings.” So it’s a mish-mash of songs from various sources and sessions. Quite honestly, it’s a recipe for disaster. Many bands have attempted releases like this and very few come away unscathed.

The good news for Hem is that they should. Despite the abundance of alternate takes or re-recordings of their past songs, most of them sound fairly fresh on this album. I didn’t listen to this album saying, “Been there, heard that.” Just about everything here sounds quality. There isn’t an obnoxious shift in quality from track to track. Just the occasional crowd noise from the live tracks offered.

Unlike many albums of this nature, “No Word From Tom” should be a comfortable place for new listeners of the band to step in, though they might be better advised to check out “Eveningland” first. Hardcore fans of Hem might be initially disappointed at the lack of new songs (even if the old songs are different arrangements) but should overall appreciate the collection. It’s the average fan who should probably skip over this release and wait for the new studio album from Hem coming later this year.