Hem

They are words that make diehard fans swoon and casual fans groan: "Outtakes, Covers, Demos, Live Recordings & Rarities." Such is the subtitle of Hem's No Word From Tom, an odds-and-sods collection that finds some new angles on old songs and reemphasizes the graceful beauty of the band's earlier studio recordings.

With only two albums under their belts -- 2001's Rabbit Songs and 2004's Eveningland -- it does seem a little premature for the band to be offering glimpses into the heady formative years, or pulling together "greatest hits" into a live context. And yet, as a stand-alone piece, No Word From Tom is plenty captivating. Taste may be subjective, but it's hard to imagine how anyone with a passion for American folk music would not be intrigued by Hem's country-kissed, orchestral brand of the genre.

Singer Sally Ellyson famously won a spot in the band by singing over the answering machine of her future bandmates. She's grown into better production values, but even amidst the studio gear and the lush arrangements, her voice has retained a crystalline purity that quietly demands attention. She is not a songwriter, per se; the band's ever-evocative ace in that department is Daniel Messé. It comes as little surprise, then, to see her interpretive powers shine on R.E.M.'s "South Central Rain" and Fountains of Wayne's "Radiation Vibe." The latter, especially, is the rare cover that is strikingly better than the original. Another lively highlight is the honky-tonk classic "Crazy Arms," which Hem play up to the boots-and-sawdust hilt.

But Ellyson, Messé and company don't need to hitchhike off others to impress. A number of the band's own songs, particularly from Rabbit Songs ("Betting On Trains," "Sailor," "Idle"), are brought to fruition in live settings. In addition to the easy listening pleasure it brings, No Word From Tom also suggests a blueprint for bands looking to translate complicated songs into more stripped-down live arrangements -- all without losing a lot of richness in sound. -- Adam McKibbin, The Red Alert

If it sounds somewhat odd to switch labels and release an album of "covers, rarities, outtakes, demos and live recordings," that's because it is rather odd. These are the types of items, after all, that usually show up on a box set if a group stays together long enough to warrant one. Be that as it may, No Word From Tom, Hem's third album (following Rabbit Songs in 2001 and Eveningland in 2004), is made up of odds and ends from the band's five year history. The collection begins with Sally Ellyson's a cappella rendering of "All the Pretty Little Horses," one of the songs that served as her introduction to the band. The album follows with a lovely, laid-back take on "Rainy Night in Georgia," a cut custom made for the band's trademark, low-key, country-flavored arrangements. It's easy to compare the band to the Cowboy Junkies because like the Junkies, Hem takes things nice and easy; both bands are also fronted by female leads with compelling voices. Hem's sound, however, is much more folk-country, more steel than electric guitar, than the Junkies, and Ellyson's tone is lighter, more ethereal, than Margo Timmins'. The best stuff on No Word From Tom is great, and includes a version of Fountains of Wayne's "Radiation Vibe," "The Present," and R.E.M.'s "So. Central Rain." The last cut, in particular, injects an emotional depth into the lyric that digs deeper than the original (plus one can actually hear the lyrics here). Hem has an appealing talent for completely re-imaging these songs in their own style. There are other things to like on this collection, including straight takes on country classics like "Crazy Arms" and "Tennessee Waltz," though the album runs thin in places. Demos and live cuts, as No Word From Tom progresses, begin to sound like filler. For this reason, the recording will probably not take on the classic status of Hem's previous albums. Nonetheless, the good stuff here is so much better than what passes for alternative country and progressive folk, making No Word From Tom a worthy stopgap in the band's history. ~ Ronnie D. Lankford, Jr., All Music Guide