Review Summary: Hem's "Funnel Cloud" is a can't miss, not only for folk fans but general music fans. They explore new boundaries for folk, adding symphonic layers backing the beautiful vocals and songwriting.
You might’ve heard Hem’s music without realizing it. Have you seen a Liberty Mutual commercial, one with the tagline “When people act responsibly…” Well, Hem is usually playing in the background of that. “Half Acre” is the most widely used song, but that is from a past album. No matter which song you’ve heard though, you should have a good idea of Hem’s sound.
Hem is a band that defies categorization. Allmusic describes them as “alternative folk”, “alternative country-rock”, “adult alternative pop rock”, and just regular “alternative pop rock.” Wikipedia labels them “indie folk rock.” Confused? Well, don’t worry about the classifications. Hem is just outstanding music, and “Funnel Cloud” is a stark, beautiful album, covering a gauntlet of styles and feelings. It’s unmistakably folk—steel guitars, violens, and acoustic guitars abound, but Hem pushes the genre forward, expanding the sound into a symphonic work of beauty.
Sometimes the music sounds like a lullaby; indeed, the band appears to aim for this quality. “Almost Home”, which opens the album, is basically a two minute lullaby welcoming to the listener to the disc, and “We’ll Meet Along the Way”, the closing, is a companion piece, another gentle two minute lullaby making use of soft strings and lead singer Sally Ellyson’s soothing vocals. Indeed, the title track is basically a 3:16 lullaby, dominated by tasteful instrumentation. The instrumental “The Burnt-Over District” is like a (sad) lullaby without words, a minor key masterwork that still allows hope through with the closing ascending pattern.
Hem isn’t all lullabies though. “Funnel Cloud” does more than put you at ease. At times, Hem rocks out with a sweet sounding steel guitar, drums, and piano. “The Pills Stopped Working” is exemplary of this facet of the group, as Ellyson amps her vocals up, singing, “I don’t want to spend my whole life down on my knees just fixing what I broke.” The lyrics are as dark as Hem gets, but the sound is rousing. When the band comes in in full (along with the regular band members, a 21 piece orchestra was used in making the album), it’s close to impossible to be enveloped by the sound.
“Not California” is another rousing number, purportedly a love song from writer/pianist Dan Messe to his wife. Like “The Pills Stopped Working”, it builds to a climax, unleashing a simple but effective love line illustrating the theme of love in an imperfect world, as Ellyson croons, “I’m the one who wants to be the one you’re with tonight.”
Part of the eclectic nature of the sound belongs to the different songwriters in the group. Messe and particularly guitarist Gary Maurer are more folk-rock minded; multi-instrumentalist Steve Curtis has a more gentle touch. His standout track, “He Came to Meet Me”, puts aside the snap of the drumsticks for softer brushes, emphasizing acoustic guitar picking patterns backed by significant use of strings and fronting Ellyson at her most ethereal. “Resovoir”, a love song to the sights and sounds of the country, has some of the strongest lyrics of the album. Curtis veers into different territory with “I’ll Dream of You Tonight”, the last full track of the album, another track that builds into a resounding climax.
There isn’t a weak track on the album. Each one exists in its own world, exploring new textures of folk music and new themes for Ellyson to provide her capable vocals for. She rarely aims for the big note, but her simpler, stable delivery fits the music perfectly. Hem doesn’t wow you with fast patterns or loud noises, instead, the band lures you in to their world, and centers you firmly in their universe.
Hem is folk, but they’re not country, at least modern country. There’s no white-trash blustering, no vulgar “save a horse, ride a cowboy” style double entendres. This isn’t rock music for people who want to be really, really white. It’s folk music for people who want a unique American sound.
