She & Him: Volume Two
She & Him - Volume Two
Album Title: Volume Two
Date Released: March 23rd, 2010
Genre: Indie, Folk
Rating:
Indie actress Zooey Deschanel, and cool folk guitarist M. Ward are back as She & Him with their second album appropriately titled Volume Two. Yes, I know what you may be thinking: “For Christ sake, is this another talentless actress making more money through a dodgy singing career?”, well no. According to my research, before her acting career, from 2001 Ms Deschanel has performed in the jazz cabaret act If All the Stars Were Pretty Babies with fellow actress Samantha Shelton. So you get the point, she wasn’t originally an actress. To be quite honest, I prefer her as a musician. I mean, have you see The Happening?… Enough said.
So Volume Two, what is it like? She & Him keep to their signature sound: light, mellow and sweet. Volume Two kicks off with Thieves, a very mellow and hip tune, though Deschanel’s vocal work, I find, is a bit strange in this. I realise her vocal range is not particularly impressive, she can sing no doubt, but it just sounds a bit monotone in this. While this is an average start to the album, In The Sun, the following track is indeed an improvement from their opening track; this is also the first single released from the album, you can have a listen to it here. Several tracks down, the album continues its easy-listening tunes that reminds one of the warm Spring days, flowers, the Sun, and all things idyllic, particularly with songs like: Home, Over It Over Again, and my favourite from the album, Don’t Look Back.
What is particularly refreshing and raw is the album’s lack of computer generated sounds, insane drumming and distorted guitar riffs, which a lot of contemporary musicians tend to heavily rely on these days. If you can tolerate medium range vocals, want to be reminded of the lovely Spring and Summer days, and enjoy a bit of raw music, then She & Him’s Volume Two will be perfect for you.
Very good!