Merge Records

It would be easy to deem actress Zooey Deschanel and sonic virtuoso M. Ward’s musical side project She & Him a flash in the pan – if the music was actually bad. After the unexpectedly accomplished debut Volume One proved to be incredibly listenable with its pleasingly old soul melancholy, She & Him’s Volume Two transcends the notion of the sophomore slump. With tighter songwriting, sunnier melodies and an overall bigger and better feel, Volume Two is less vintage pastiche and more effervescent pop. The piano-driven “Home” is an ode to California love with elaborate arrangements and lush harmonies that recall a modernized Petula Clark, while “Over It Over Again” possesses a Ronnie Spector-like hip-swiveling sass.