Volume Two - She & Him

Another artist I plan to see at Forecastle.  I actually really like Zooey Deschanel as an actress - she's gorgeous with that dark hair, light eye contrast and her voice always interested me, but I have to admit that as a singer she leaves me a little disappointed.  When I first listened to Volume One, I liked it.  She picks really great songs to cover, that never really do justice to the original so she has a good ear and good musical taste, she just hasn't figured out how to really make it work yet..  The melodies are kind of catchy, the single "Why Do You Let Me Stay Here" especially, but her voice is a little grating, the instrumentals a little too raw or scratchy for the type of honest, unadulterated folk sound She & Him is going for.  I was a little disappointed and I have to say I haven't listened to the album since.

Since Deschanel broke my heart with her debut I didn't even bother to seek out the follow up, Volume Two.  It just so happens I have time in my Forecastle schedule to see them and I figured I'd better be all caught up on her musical output beforehand.  In fact, this album couldn't be more boring or hard to listen to than the first, no danger of a sophomore slump here.  We can only go up.

It's the same basic formula as her first album - straightforward vocals and a slight country swing.  "Thieves"  is already prettier than I remember Volume One being.  I think the problem is actually when M. Ward (the Him) enters on backup vocals.  The two do not mesh well together and I admit I think it would be tough for anyone to suit Deschanel's voice especially when she is having difficulties of her own.

Essentially She & Him is cutesy retro pop and it stops there.  While one would hope musicians would reference the past then bring it up to date, She & Him seem stuck, simply recreating an era.  This is fine if its what you're looking for.  It's not terrible, but it's not taking music anywhere.  For now, its Deschanel's acting that will get me to visit them at Forecastle, although I'm still hoping that with time I'll come to view her as a musician as well.