She is actress Zooey Deschanel, Him is alt-singer/songwriter M. Ward. The two met on the set of a movie, found some musical common ground, and began working together. Volume One is the resulting album and it's one of the better albums made recently by a movie star, male or female. Good enough that it even heads off the obligatory suspicions that she only got to make a record because she was a Hollywood star. After a few spins of the album one could make a compelling case that Deschanel could quit her day job, or at least justifiably call herself an actress/musician. The common ground that the duo found and explore on Volume One is a sweet place where light-'60s pop meets strummy country tunes and candy-coated folk, a mythical meeting place between Sandie Shaw and Tammy Wynette with cameos by Richard & Linda Thompson. Deschanel's songs are simple and sad tales of heartbreak and missed connections, with hooky melodies and not a single artless moment to be found. For sure there's not a single instance that sounds like she got the gig because of who she is, instead of what she can do. Even if her songs were weak, her strong, assured vocals would carry the day. Sweet and rich with no annoying folky warble, she can croon ("Take It Back"), cry ("Sentimental Heart"), be playful (the bubblegum snappy "I Was Made for You"), or just sweep you off your feet with sweetness ("Sweet Darlin'," which she co-wrote with another artist who overcomes his Hollywood roots, Jason Schwartzman). As for Ward, he keeps his quirks mostly to himself, providing sympathetic backing unadorned by the kind of tricks and gimmicks that make his own albums slightly uneven. The occasional whistle here or slightly unconventional string arrangement there are the only traces of his usual artistry on Volume One. The rest of the time he and the band (which includes the ubiquitous Mike Mogis) create a soft, gentle feel equally inspired by the Brill Building and the Countrypolitan sound of Nashville in the late '50s. The only place the album falters is on the two covers the duo attempt. Deschanel doesn't add much to "You Really Got a Hold on Me," and Ward's backing vocals are just the kind of affected, arch singing she avoids elsewhere. Their take on the Beatles' "I Should Have Known Better" is better but still awfully close to a novelty. The album would have been more successful without both tracks, but even with them it stands as a nice coming out party for Deschanel. If you run screaming at the thought of singing actresses, give She & Him a chance and they might calm your fears. You may even forget the origins of the singer and simply be charmed by the singing, the songs, and the sounds found on Volume One.
Maybe I had a wee chip on my shoulder when I went to Bimbo's 365 Club on Sunday to see She & Him - touring to promote their debut album Volume One. I mean, I'm already on record as a supporter of the talented, cheerfully idiosyncratic Pacific Northwest singer-songwriter-guitarist M. Ward who is the "Him" in She & Him. But, even though I had seen the folk-rock/alt-country duo and their band perf...
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this is the current tally. click on the link below to vote for your own goddam self. http://www.npr.org/blogs/allsongs/2008/06/take_the_poll_best_cds_of_the.html
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Maybe I had a wee chip on my shoulder when I went to Bimbo's 365 Club on Sunday to see She & Him - touring to promote their debut album Volume One. I mean, I'm already on record as a supporter of the talented, cheerfully idiosyncratic Pacific Northwest singer-songwriter-guitarist M. Ward who is the "Him" in She & Him. But, even though I had seen the folk-rock/alt-country duo and their band perf...
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They have a track on 500 Days of Summer, so they are about to get better known. Be one of the first to say, yeah, I know that group, when you see the movie.She & Him's version of the classic Smiths track "Please Please Please Let Me Get WhatI Want"From Their Bio:She & Him made their debut record as a love letter to the musicians who inspired it. Volume One introduces a boy and girl choir hell-b...
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She & Him just announced a US tour in support of their debut album, Volume One. The duo will play shows around the east coast with one show in Canada. The list does not include west coast dates, but I sure hope some are added on later! So far, there's no word on whether this is a possibility or not.July:23 - Toronto, ONT Opera House24 - Northampton, MA Academy of Music 25 - Philadelphia, PA ...
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What are you gonna get when you see the hyped-up duo She & Him (She = actress Zooey Deschanel, while Him = indie rocker M. Ward)? A lot of she looking uncomfortable on stage and at him.If you wanna keep your hopes up, check 'em out at on their smaller-than-mini-tour. The three stop jaunt, even includes a stop at San Fran's 9th Annual Oysterfest where the duo will shuck and sing away on a bill t...
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this is the current tally. click on the link below to vote for your own goddam self. http://www.npr.org/blogs/allsongs/2008/06/take_the_poll_best_cds_of_the.html
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Really looking forward to the new She & Him record. I absolutely adore Zooey Deschanel, and her voice just makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside. Same goes for M. Ward. Here's a sampling off Volume One, called "Why Do You Let Me Stay Here?"(I was too lazy to paint Matt. Haha.)
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Two of my favorite people in the world hooked up late last year for a one-off duet cover of Richard & Linda Thompson's "When I Get To The Border"... and now will be releasing an album together as "She & Him."On first listen just now, it feels like a hits & misses session. Deschanel's voice sounds adorable, funny, and legit most of the time; off-key and off-putting only occasionally. Mr. Ward is...
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Hello all, and a special hello to all who apply. (You'll find much more entertainment out of this post by reading it in a "British":http://www.escapistmagazine.com/articles/view/editorials/zeropunctuation. accent) Once again it's time for SXSW, and unlike last year I am not going. No, it's staying here in the warm breast of the DFW metroplex. Ah, the warm fuzzys of not doing something awesome. ...
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 "Volume One")
