Music Review: Volume One by She & Him

By Daniel Dessinger

May 29, 2008

Most of the time, I don't approve of actors becoming musicians. It's usually ill-advised (are you reading this, Scarlett Johansson?) and feels more like an indulgence than a definite career move for the actor. I have to say that there are some notable exceptions to the rule, and after listening to Volume One by She & Him, you can count Zooey Deschanel as one of those exceptions.

She & Him is comprised of Deschanel, who you may remember from films such as Almost Famous and Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, and M. Ward, who enjoys a successful solo singer-songwriter career in addition to his many collaborations with artists like Jenny Lewis, Norah Jones, and Bright Eyes.

Volume One showcases Deschanel's pleasing, solid voice impeccably. Her singing sounds to me like a genius mix of Neko Case's warm, reedy richness and Jenny Lewis' indie earnestness. Her delivery is spot on for almost the whole album thanks to a little help from her acting skills—Deschanel effortlessly travels from song to song, really feeling them in the kind of old country way that would do Tammy Wynette and Loretta Lynn proud.

I have to say that I was even more impressed by her songwriting skills than I was by her performance skills. The single from Volume One, “Why Do You Let Me Stay Here,” is a particular favorite of mine, with charming, playful lyrics and a satisfyingly plinky old piano rollicking along with the driving alt-country guitar line. The songs, written almost totally by Deschanel, sound like they've been pulled out of an AM radio time machine. Old sounds can be new again, and Deschanel and Ward embrace that without making it schlocky and overdone.

“Change Is Hard” hits it out of the park for me simply with the inclusion of some gorgeous pedal steel—couple that with Deschanel's beautifully mournful performance and it was an instant four star track on my iPod. “I Was Made For You” sounds like it came straight out of the 60s (a personal favorite music era) with poppy, surf-style guitar lines and bubble-gum girl group backing vocals.

I was pretty skeptical when I first heard about this album, but I'm pleased to say that Deschanel and Ward have proved me wrong. Some actresses should definitely be musicians, and Deschanel is one that I look forward to hearing more from.