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.  Continue Reading

Popularity: 10% [?]

Saturday Nights and Sunday Mornings is the first new studio release from Counting Crows since 2002's Hard Candy.  Unlike Hard Candy, which I didn't particularly care for, Saturday Nights and Sunday Mornings really takes me back to the earlier, less saccharine sound that made Counting Crows instant stars on the alternative airwaves–and instant must-haves in my music collection.

I purchased the album off iTunes, where I received two exclusive bonus tracks, a digital CD booklet and a track-by-track video interview with Adam Duritz.  It is divided into two themed sections; Saturday Nights features a driven, harsher rock sound, while most of the songs in Sunday Mornings take on a dreamier, country-infused acoustic tone.  Continue Reading

Popularity: 5% [?]