HEM Rabbit Songs
I’ve finally done my first CD review for blogcritics.org for HEM’s Rabbit Songs. It’s harder than it looks to put into words how you feel about a group of songs. I’ll have to work on that.
I posted the review at blogcritics and I’ve included it here as well. I should note that Levi was the one who originally discovered her music. She opened at a Beth Orton concert he was at and liked the music enough to buy the album.
The sound of Sally Ellyson’s a capella voice starts the album off and by the end you wish she would keep on singing. The songs are accompanied by guitar, mandolin, piano and the occasional glockenspiel and there is a good variety of each.
I’ve been pleased to find that this is the type of CD you can listen to multiple times in a row and then realize that the lyrics are saying a whole lot more than you originally thought. Her gentle voice can lull you into a state of meditation and nostalgia and then another song will make your toe start tapping. The lyrics are intimate and give you the impression that she’s talking directly to you, about herself. Speaking of which, I might as well let her speak for herself.
but someday when my heart exhales
i’ll tell you everything
these sweet words spilling all about us
i’ll say please please be with me
Deja vu! They just reviewed this album and played some songs on NPR as well as an interview. It was an interesting interview and I’m pretty sure you could access it through NPR’s archive.
Here’s the link to the interview if you’re interested.
I’m glad to hear that Hem is getting more publicity, and I’m especially glad that I got to see them perform live. I met Sally after their set, and she’s a very nice woman who was happy to chat with all the people who came to buy CDs. She even autographed the CDs I bought for me and a friend.
Her voice is every bit as beautiful in person. They kind of snuck up on stage while everyone was talking, and they started out with Sally singing the same acapella bit from the first track. The crowd noise died immediately, and it was pure listening pleasure from there to the end of their set.
speaking of music what is the “big” deal with Ketchup and the ketchup song?
I have no idea what you’re talking about. Maybe it’s just an east coast craze?
I was reading an article about it in the entertainment section and it is supposed to be replacing the macarena. the group is called las ketchup and the song is the ketchup song. just wondering if it had reached UT yet.
I can’t say for sure that it hasn’t reached Utah yet, since my finger is not on the pulse of music. I just haven’t heard it.
If it’s anything like the macarena, I hope to never hear it. I hate silly line-dance songs. May it die a quick and ignominious death!
http://www.sltrib.com/10202002/arts/8508.htm an article about it from the 20th
I actually read about Sally Ellyson’s (the band is called Hem) album Rabbit Songs from one of my friends who has a blog on this server. Anyways that goes beyond the point. I picked up a copy of it putting total trust in my friend and I am so in love with her voice. It’s calming and it puts me into this multi-dimensional perspective. Anyways I truly think she has the most amazing voice that nothing else can compare to. I wish I could see her in concert but I don’t think they do much touring in the states, much less dead center Texas.
It should be the next macarena!
Love Hem… but I wish there was a site were I could find their lyrics en mass. Does anyone know of a site that showcases their golden ink drops?
I don’t believe one exists. Most of the lyrics sites only have mainstream lyrics listed.
Dear Joshua…Their amazing lyrics exist en mass in the gorgeous booklet that comes with the actual CD. Of course, this means you have to actually BUY the CD and support the band, but that seems like a small price to pay for “golden ink drops”.
I got an e-mail from Sarah with the following link to HEM lyrics.
Thanks Sarah.