She & Him
She & Him exists because of the 2007 indie film The Go-Getter, for which singer-songwriter M. Ward and actress Zooey Deschanel covered Richard and Linda Thompson's classic folk-rock dirge "When I Get to the Border." A mutual respect and a shared love for old pop music led to further collaboration, which resulted in their debut album, Volume 1 (which will be released on Merge Records in mid-March).
From the first notes of "Sentimental Heart," the opening track on the disc, it's obvious that the duo's sound is rooted in old-school pop straight out of the Brill Building. What's thrilling about She & Him's songs is this seeming simplicity. They possess a quiet soulfulness, like you find in someone who is comfortable in their own skin. The music is self-assured and fearless, so much so that there's no need to insulate it with a layer of irony.
Not coincidentally, this has always been a draw of Ward's albums. He's made his name as a guile-free songwriter, from 1999's Duet for Guitars #2 to his most recent LP, 2006's Post War. Deschanel, meanwhile, has made her name as an actress with a feel for creating characters that seem both genuine and singular.
Most of us first got a dose of her singing in Elf, when Will Ferrell wandered in on her cooing "Baby It's Cold Outside" in the department store shower. Her voice, like her acting, is remarkably honest, free of pretense. Similar to Ward's arrangements, Deschanel's vocals exude an elegance and confidence, as if she weren't too caught up in proving herself.
That's not to say that her singing is not ambitious or impressive. In fact, over the course of the album, she glides effortlessly through musical genres and vocal styles. There are Dusty Springfield moments ("Why Do You Let Me Stay Here," "This Is Not a Test"), Ronnie Spector tributes ("Sentimental Heart," "I Was Made for You"), and sometimes even echoes of fellow double-threat Ronee Blakely ("Got Me").
As these names suggest, She & Him is a throwback, but not in a cloying or overly reverential way. Built around Deschanel's vocals, they are full of subtlety and restraint, especially in the way the fantastic "Change is Hard" and the luau-ready take on the Beatles' "I Should've Known Better." Ward's arrangements speak of his admiration for Burt Bacharach, Phil Spector, John Lennon, and Paul McCartney, while still carrying his own stamp. Albums like Volume 1 prove that compositions Don't have to utilize huge symphonies or be multi-layered studio trickery to be great. By Jeff Palfini
