Sometimes
weird and implausible pairings succeed. She & Him is one of
those unexpected matches that features Zooey Deschanel, an actress
whose credits include Elf, and The Assassination
of Jesse James plus the “him” in the project,
singer/songwriter M. Ward. The interesting thing about their debut
album Volume One is that the project is really driven
by Deschanel, who is credited for writing ten of the thirteen
tracks.
The album's flavour is split into two parts, of
which one is a pure classic alt-country sound that has the same
swagger and sway as a Neko Case record. The second piece of Volume
One is a 60’s sunny pop record that hits its stride on “I
Was Made For You” all the way down to the doo-whops.
Zooey’s voice whispers and waves throughout
the album with an inviting tone and confidence that sounds like
she has been doing this for years. Even for a little country fun,
their take on The Beatles “I Should Have Known Better”
is a tasteful cover that brings out the spirit of the song and
shows the artists relaxed demeanor with the inclusion of some
playful laughs from Deschanel showing that she really is enjoying
herself.
My guess is that Deschanel will not quit her day
job but She & Him is proof that she always will have something
to fall back on and let’s hope that Volume Two is already
in the works!
Natalie Colibri
For more of Natalie Colibri's music reviews, check
out The Fire
Note
Sometimes
weird and implausible pairings succeed. She & Him is one of
those unexpected matches that features Zooey Deschanel, an actress
whose credits include Elf, and The Assassination
of Jesse James plus the “him” in the project,
singer/songwriter M. Ward. The interesting thing about their debut
album Volume One is that the project is really driven
by Deschanel, who is credited for writing ten of the thirteen
tracks.