She & Him‘s recent release, Volume Two, brings more retro love from Zooey Deschanel and M. Ward. Where Volume One paid homage to sparkling girl-group numbers and classic-country hits, Volume Two focuses more on an earlier singer-songwriter bent.
Ward and Deschanel hit a perfect balance; Deschanel’s siren song is perfectly cradled by Ward’s melodies. Arpeggios, small-group harmonies, and lyrics like “a love like ours is terrible news / but that won’t stop me crying over you” transport listeners to a time most of them never experienced, while still being relevant and more than just a throwback.
“Thieves” and “In the Sun” are early favorites, with “Home” close on their heels with its guitar solo, hand claps, and topsy-turvy signature changes. Truth be told, everything on Volume Two is fairly lovable – proving that more than just the stars aligned to make She & Him an ongoing project and not just a one-off that left us longing.
—
Volume Two dropped 03.23.10.
Downloads, tour dates, and more here.
Mixtapes|Heartbreaks 