Zooey Deschanel and M. Ward make up She & Him with the music and lyrics written by Descahnel and M. Ward producing. In 2008 the duo created a memorable debut album entitled Volume One. It was rich in charming pop songs and led to the pair assembling a live band to perform live and tour from coast to coast. The album also led to them performing on television shows such as Elvis Costello's Spectacle and Late Night With Conan O'Brien.

The new album from She & Him is entitled Volume Two and is made up of thirteen tracks, of which two are covers 'Ridin' in my Car' by NRBQ and Skeeter Davis's 'Gonna Get Along Without You Now'.

To be honest this CD takes on, I feel, a very namby pamby approach to pop music. It's reminiscent of the '60s duo pop bands; all very innocent and sickly sweet. Take for example 'Lingering Still' it's heavily laden with soft guitar chords and sweet harmonies.

After listening to a few tracks from this album, Deschanel's vocals really begin to get on your nerves. She is too innocent and childlike sounding for my liking, not to mention being too high in pitch for my ears. Don't get me wrong, I'm not disputing the fact that she is, in fact, a good singer but it's just after a while her voice grates on me! Sorry Deschanel.

This is definitely an album with an optimistic and 'feel good' vibe to it, the only problem being in it that most of the tracks sound the same. The instrumentation, although very good, is repeated again and again in each song and they just don't seem to grab your attention.

With a little less sweetness and more balls this would have been an album to rave about but as it is I can only whisper about it.

5

Helena Rea