She told me that I'd like it when I was buying it at Basement Discs the other week, and I do. Departure and Farewell doesn't have quite the sustained beauty of Hem's first two, Rabbit Songs and Eveningland, nor any absolute high points like "When I Was Drinking", "Half Acre", "Lazy Eye" or "Pacific Street" from those others (although top "Departure and Farewell" and almost-tail "Last Call" are close), but it shares with them a sheer loveliness in its heartfelt, swoonily pretty melding of folk, country and elements of many other streams. It's a cliche, but Sally Ellyson's really is a voice that I can imagine listening to sing almost anything, and it helps that there's so much space in these songs for it to come through.
