Zooey Deschanel is fighting something of an uphill battle – she’s a beautiful, talented actress, who seems to be popping up everywhere these days. While those are generally some nice labels to own, something tends to happen when actors, who are too damn cute for their own good, attempt to blur the lines between acting and making music. Skepticism runs high and people tend to immediately dismiss the musical endeavors of movie stars. On She & Him’s Volume Two, the suspicion is unfounded, as once again Deschanel has teamed up with indie artist/producer M. Ward, and has proven that she is more than capable being just as captivating on record as she is on screen.
Volume Two
Volume Two kicks things off with “Thieves,” a lavish 60s-style ballad reminiscent of later Ronnettes with Linda Ronstadt filling in for Ronnie Spector. It’s a sound that can be found all over the record, with songs alternating between those that could be easily mistaken for wall of sound era Phil Spector and simple summery pop tunes that leave the listener wanting to take a drive down a costal highway as evidenced on “Lingering Still” and a cover of NRBQ’s “Ridin’ In My Car.” The record wraps up with a lullaby of sorts on the a capella “If You Can’t Sleep.”
While the actress has more than shown that she can pen a great song, M. Ward (who also produced the record) has done a masterful job at arranging, crafting beautiful harmonies, and tailoring the sound perfectly to let Deschanel’s songs shine through. Best of all he’s shown restraint in his production, adding to the songs rather than completely shaping them, as well as electing to leave small flaws in Zooey’s voice in the finished product, which has resulted in a much more charming and authentic album.
