All About Hem

January 2013 News Archive (Older news link at bottom of page)

January 31, 2013

Departure And Farewell Story

The questions I have been asked more than any other in the past few years usually all come together: "WHY hasn't Hem released another album yet? WHAT is Hem doing that is taking so long? Is the next album the band's LAST album?" I haven't been able to answer those questions fully since it's the band's story to tell, not mine. Hem has now told some of the story. Read the Departure And Farewell press release. (Spoiler: Hem doesn't think Departure And Farewell will be the band's last album, but it was a tough road to this music.) You can also find a link to this long read at the interview archive. The meanings page will be updated soon to include all the tidbits about specific songs.

Departure And Farewell Photo Gallery

A bunch of promotional band pictures for Departure And Farewell's April 2 release have hit the streets. You don't have to wander far to see them since they're all here in this handy new photo gallery. The last picture in the group is the one from last September.

Rabbit Chords Update

Rabbit Chords, your source of fan-derived chords for nearly every Hem song, has been updated to include two of the newest songs, "Tourniquet" and "Identical Snowflakes." Thanks, Geoff!

January 30, 2013

Departure And Farewell Release Details

Hem's new album Departure and Farewell will be released on April 2, 2013! Also, I can finally share the complete track list, now that it's finally public (press release). You can find interesting goodies about each song on the album's discography page.

1. Departure and Farewell

2. Walking Past the Graveyard, Not Breathing

3. Things Are Not Perfect In Our Yard

4. The Seed

5. The Jack Pine

6. Tourniquet

7. Seven Angels

8. Gently Down the Stream

9. Bird Song

10. Traveler's Song

11. The Tides at the Narrows

12. Last Call

13. So Long

"Tourniquet" Video

Hem released an animated video by Jordan Bruner for the song "Tourniquet." It debuted yesterday at NPR , and you can watch the whole video below. Also, the interview archive has been updated to include that NPR piece, which includes some words from Dan about the video and about Hem's trials leading up to Departure And Farewell, and also to include the press release, in which Dan and Sally talk about some of the album's themes.

January 24, 2013

Discography Update

A 2011 compilation album called Acoustic Dreamland has been newly added to the discography page. Hem's track on the album is "My Father's Waltz," from Eveningland. There's also a new page for the album itself, if you'd like to see what other tracks are on the album to hopefully balance out the complete melancholy of Hem's song.

Departure And Farewell Artwork

Hem has shared a bit of the Departure And Farewell themed artwork, like with the new "Tourniquet" download. There are also a few previews of the art in newly posted icons for Music, Twitter, etc. at Hem's Facebook page. (You'll also see there that Hem has a new Instagram page, though no pictures are there yet.) The artist behind all these cool map-based images is Shannon Rankin. You can see a bunch of her strange, really beautiful work at Etsy and her website. More map-like images for Hem featuring New York and Michigan (and more) will probably be around to see soon!

January 15, 2013

New Hem Show

Hem has a show in Brooklyn, NY on March 15, 2013 at The Bell House. The bill also lists "Special Guests," but no word yet on who those guests are. It doesn't matter. Go see Hem! Tickets on sale now! More details about this show are on the tour page.

January 11, 2013

All About Me

Today is All About Hem's 9th birthday! I can't believe it! A big thank you to everybody who has visited the site over the years, with special thanks to everybody who has sent me news, photos, and words of appreciation and encouragement. Thanks also to my favorite web host, Geof, for so nicely providing a home for All About Hem for another year. The biggest thanks, as always, go to Dan, Gary, Sally, and Steve of Hem for making wonderful music that makes the world a better place and for being kind, amusing people that I am endlessly glad to know.

Click here for older news