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Sunday Music Spotlight – She & Him

April 20, 2008 in Music, Spotlight by Sean

Zooey Deschanel and M. Ward are She & Him

“She” is a successful actress. While working on a song for the soundtrack of one of her movies “she” met “him”, a talented musician and producer. They hit it off, and during the course of conversation “she” revealed that she had written some songs. “She” sent them to “him”, and they so impressed “him” that he decided they had to record them. So over the next few months Zooey Deschanel and M. Ward recorded what would become She & Him’s first album, Volume One.

If you’re a fan of movies you may recognize Zooey from her roles in Elf, Almost Famous, or The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy. If you’ve been following this site for a while you’ll recognize M. Ward as the focus of the inaugural Sunday Music Spotlight. On the surface they seem like an odd match. But once the music gets going it’s clear that they have similar taste in music. Zooey’s voice and lyrics sound like she should sing them into an old-fashioned microphone while wearing a long, glamorous dress. Ward’s arrangements and production perfectly compliment that feel, creating music that is both classic and timeless.

While at first listen it may appear that Ward takes a back seat to Deschanel, upon closer listen you can hear his signature on just about everything that’s going on. From the arrangements of the guitars and pianos to the vocal effects, Volume One just sounds like an M. Ward album that just happens to be sung by someone else. This is not to take anything away from Zooey. Her voice is clear and vulnerable, and is a core component of the album.

She And Him - Why Do You Let Me Stay Here

“Why Do You Let Me Stay Here” is the second track on Volume One, and it’s the one that really kicks the album into gear. The descending piano riff, chugging acoustic guitar, and brushed drums are M. Ward signatures. But the real star is Zooey’s voice on both the lead and backing vocals.

She And Him - Magic Trick

This version of a song originally found on M. Ward’s album Post-War completely flips the mood of the original. In the solo version the narrator is chastising a woman for always leaving. In this version he flips it around and points the blame at himself. The result is less scathing and more somber. And very effective.

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