ENG: She & Him - Volume two
Skrivet av Carl Davidsson
MusikrecensionArtist: She & Him
Album: Volume two
Genre: Indie pop/Alt-country/Folk
Releasedatum: 2010
Betyg: 
She & Him, consisting of actress Zoey Deschanel (vocals, piano, banjo) and the best now living songwriter/guitarist/producer M. Ward, is releasing their second album with the very suitable title Volume Two. In this constellation it is Deschanel who writes all the songs, except for the covers of NRBQ’s Ridin' in My Car and Patience and Prudence’s Gonna Get Along Without You Now . Volume Two is a more complete record than the foregoer, Volume One, which at moments could be a bit repetitive and dull.
She & Him are a part of the beautiful section of the American indie scene where lovely collaborations, between acts like M. Ward, Conor Oberst and Mike Mogis of Bright Eyes, Jenny Lewis, Ben Gibbard (Deschanel’s husband and known for his bands Death Cab For Cutie and Postal Service) among many others, never seem to end. The supergroup Monsters of Folk (Conor Oberst, Yim James from My Morning, Mike Mogis and M. Ward) is almost symbolic for the, in my opinion, undeniably most enjoyable music productions the 2000's have brought to our ears. On this album Mike Mogis helps out, along with Tilly and The Wall.
Carefree pop
She & Him is flirting with the pop music from the 50s and the 60s, with happy melodies and sometimes silly lyrics. Zoey Deschanel has become kind of an expert in arranging backing vocals. Something which you by now should have realized after listening to M. Ward’s Hold Time. And in combination with Matt Wards characteristic guitar style they give these simple pop songs a new dimension.
The importance of the lyrics should never be underestimated though, and thirteen tracks of romantic clichés gets a little exhausting. The adorable Zoey Deschanel almost seems like she can’t shield herself from her own extraordinary charm at times, but when her vocals balance right on the edge of being wimpish she manages to transmit a distinctive feeling of true heart-grief. The best example of this might be the opening track Thieves where her voice, with great help from the strings, really takes off.
Most of the songs are quite carefree though, of course in a good way.
Spotless production
M. Ward has proven time and time again that he is a brilliant producer. I would even stretch as far as saying perfect producer. It tends to sound like a vinyl record played on the AM Radio, with the essential exception that every instrument is crystal clear and appearing in perfect harmony with the others.
As I said, I think Volume One has some lacks, and those lacks are almost fixed on this one. At times the repetitiveness remain, but in general the songs deserve their space on the record.
I miss a single with the energy that Why Do You Let Me Stay Here possesses, but it is replaced by a welcomed wistfulness. And I have to say that the new single In the Sun grows on you and is a very fine song. The record is carefree and catchy - maybe too carefree and catchy - but mostly not, and as long as it’s not, it is really good.
The world should be more like M. Ward.
Höjdpunkter på skivan: Thieves, Me and You, In The Sun, Over It Over Again
Dela på sociala medier:
