She & Him‘s “Volume Two” was only released four months ago, but for being a relatively new album, it’s one that feels steeped in nostalgia. The light orchestrations bring a genial upbeat touch to even the most heartbreaking of lyrics, and over the course of two albums California natives M. Ward and Zooey Deschanel have gradually brought a sunny, decidedly West Coast-feel to delicately symphonic retro-pop tunes.
“Volume Two” comes with its own love letter to California in “Home,” a piano stroll accentuated with handclaps, swooning background vocals, crisp guitar notes and keyboard lushness. It arrives near the end of an album that’s full of sweetly nuanced arrangements built around Deschanel’s conversationally cheery vocals. A take on NRBQ‘s forgotten “Ridin’ in My Car” is built for a windows-down cruise, and “In the Sun” is a three-minute call-and-response keyboard frolic that wouldn’t sound of out place on Disneyland’s Main Street.
“My earliest music memories were driving around and being in the back seat of my parents’ car and listening to music,” Deschanel said. “I feel like I associate music with California and the sun and a particular sort of feeling. It’s something that’s important to me to express when I write music. When we record, California is definitely on our minds.”
July 15, Reply
2010 Nateva Music & Camping Festival
HQ pictures of Zooey at the 2010 Nateva Music & Camping Festival have been added to the gallery.
July 08, Reply
She and Him Brave the New York City Heat Wave
New York was hit with a heat wave during She and Him’s Tuesday night set at Terminal 5, but you couldn’t tell from the bright-eyed duo’s performance. M. Ward and Zooey Deschanel displayed effortless cool while playing their brand of retro love songs to the packed crowd.
Decked in a below-the-knee, ’50s-style lilac dress, Deschanel spent much of the evening bouncing gleefully with her background singers while hitting a tambourine. Her powerful voice, which usually sounds daintier on record, filled up the entire sold-out venue. A cast of back-up musicians helped the indie pair create a more full-bodied sound, but left at various times throughout the set so that She and Him could play alone.
There were a few hiccups during the night, when the group had to restart three of its songs. “Is there a Wurlitzer tuner in the house?” deadpanned the frontwoman at one point. The first half of the show favored tunes from the group’s 2008 debut, ‘Volume 1,’ including ‘Change Is Hard,’ ‘Sweet Darlin” and ‘I Was Made for You.’ The band also included several ‘Volume 2′ tracks and M. Ward’s solo in ‘Ridin’ In My Car’ elicited many screams from the audience. She and Him even played a cover of Ward’s own ‘Magic Trick’ and closed with a wailing rendition of Screamin’ Jay Hawkins’ ‘I Put a Spell on You.’
Deschanel also took the opportunity to school the audience on concert photography. “Do you know how to turn the flashes off your camera?” she asked the crowd. “I don’t meant to be bossy, but it ruins the vibe.” With that issue settled, She and Him delivered an acoustic version of ‘You Really Got a Hold on Me,’ undisturbed by flashes and illuminated only by floor-level stage lights. [SOURCE]
July 08, Reply
Deschanel co-stars in musical duo She & Him
Zooey Deschanel’s filmography is almost a tease for her growing discography.
Deschanel played older sis to Patrick Fugit’s underage rock journalist in “Almost Famous.” She crooned “Baby, It’s Cold Outside” in “Elf.” She led weirdly wonderful performance art rockers Munchhausen By Proxy in “Yes Man.”
Then, in 2008, the actress’ music flirtations became a torrid affair. She found a musical bond with singer/songwriter M. Ward during the filming of the 2007 indie flick “The Go-Getter,” which Ward scored. The resulting duo, She & Him, play the House of Blues on Thursday and Maine’s Nateva Festival on Saturday.
She & Him’s sound mirrors Deschanel’s honey-bunch, sweetie-pie, queen-of-quirky persona. Both their 2008 and 2010 records recall ’70s AM radio, ’60s girl group harmonies and ’50s pop. They also prove that not all actors make for embarrassing musicians. But Deschanel’s never feared the actor flop. Continue…
June 30, Reply
Zooey Deshanel and M. Ward Do It Again
June 24, Reply
She & Him coming to the Uptown in August
The second volume of M. Ward and Zooey Deschanel’s retro-pop project She & Him came out earlier this year, and it is unfortunately just as enjoyable and melodic and adorable as Volume 1. People have noticed: the duo recently put on their cute little sideshow act to a crowd of about 15,000 in Chicago’s Millennium Park, many of whom no doubt spent the show stifling a deep, burning, jealous rage. Yesterday they announced a stop at the Uptown, on Monday, August 30. It’s a show guaranteed to make you feel old, unattractive, and untalented. When will these two just give it a rest already, am I right?
Tickets are on sale Saturday at 10 a.m. [SOURCE]
