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She & Him

Volume Two

Written by: DR on 19/01/2011 21:59:02

The mere mention of doe-eyed actress Zooey Deschanel is enough to get male hearts racing; all of us boys/men who watch films like "Elf" and "Failure To Launch" because they're "fun", we're not kidding anyone, we watch it for one reason... okay, two reasons - I'm talking about her eyes, guys (not a euphemism). Damn, those eyes. But what the what? She's a singer, too? Oh, yeah, that's right. Just when you think she can't become any more adorable, she does.

Most of you probably knew, but for those who missed She & Him's debut "Volume One", she has drafted in M. Ward, who you may know from acts like Monsters of Folk, or his solo stuff, making this firmly a twosome, and, surprisingly, not the Zooey show. M.Ward guides Zooey's vocals with assured middle-of-the-road instrumentation, taking cues from 60s/70s music, creating something that sounds both nostalgic and fresh. In songs like opener "Thieves" and Alan G. Anderson cover "Ridin' in My Car" one could argue that is in fact Ward that impresses most with his penchant for intricate and layered structures.

Having watched "Elf" a whole bunch of times (it really is a fun film for all the family!), I had been aware Mrs. Deschanel could hit a note, however, I hadn't realised that she can actually sing. Like, on "Volume Two", if you had no prior knowledge of who she was, you would swear she's a singer/songwriter by trade. Her vocal style isn't so much about conveying a wide range of emotion, neither are her lyrics, instead, she aims to charm with her uber-sunny-sounding voice, which is the perfect fit for the indie pop band She & Him are. Seriously, listen to "Lingering Still" and try to not be won over by how utterly cute she sounds.

There isn't a wide range of variation on offer, however, the point of She & Him isn't to push boundaries of genres, but to make you smile. We have become accustomed to as much from Mrs. Deschanel as an actress staring as the quirky female in indie films, but now we'll also become accustomed to as much from her as a singer/songwriter, and she has made the transition without seeming like an actress trying to show she can sing.

Download: Thieves, Lingering Still, If You Can't Sleep
For The Fans of: Regina Spektor, Kate Nash, M.Ward, that scene in "500 Days of Summer" where Summer sings karaoke
Listen: Myspace

Release Date 05.04.2010
Double Six Records