She & Him - Volume 1

180-gram LP
Free digital download included


Audio Quality: 3.75/5
Song Quality: 3.5/5
Packaging: 4/5


I spent a lot of time avoiding this record when it came out. Everything about it just seemed like something that wasn't for me. I'm not a fan of M. Ward, and I didn't see why I should care that Zooey Deschanel of "Elf" and "Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy" fame was singing his songs. In time, I came to realize that I didn't understand exactly what this project was. Once I found out that Ms. Deschanel was writing the songs herself and that M. Ward was involved only as a producer/musician, then I started getting way curious. It's extremely rare for someone starting out as an actor/actress to make the switch to music, specifically songwriting, and have it taken seriously and not done as a gimmick. By seriously, I mean that Bruce Willis and Dogstar do not count. But this record was getting some serious acclaim, from critics and indie hipsters alike. I had to hear what the fuss was about. One 20% off coupon from my local record store later, and the LP was mine.

So how is it? At times, it is surprisingly excellent. Zooey's vocal sound is very old-fashioned and sweet, and her songwriting is remarkable for the debut effort by the lead actress from "The Happening." The opening track, "Sentimental Heart," is definitely one of the highlights, featuring a piano and string quartet arrangement, not to mention an adorably catchy and unforgettable chorus. Other tracks of greatness would be the Motown-throwback "I Was Made For You," the loungy Beatles cover "I Should Have Known Better," and the album's closer, "Sweet Darlin'," which was co-written by Jason Schwartzman of this and that. Unfortunately, the album is not super consistent. Though the vibe is right, some tracks like "This Is Not A Test" and "I Thought I Saw Your Face Today" seem like they're hiding behind retro production so you don't notice the lack of substance in the song underneath. They're not bad songs necessarily, just sort of average. The great songs easily make the record worth your time and attention, so Volume 1 passes the first round of testing.

As far as audio quality, I found something very interesting listening to this record. This album was mixed by a few different people, varying from track to track. I hate to say this because I love most of his work, but it seems that the tracks mixed by Mike Mogis are not up to par. His tracks, 7 out of the 13 on the album, sound a bit cluttered and aggressive compared to the others. They calmed down and warmed up a bit after multiple listens, but his mixes definitely do not have the clear instrument separation that the others do. It's a very noticeable difference between his tracks and the mixes contributed by Adam Selzer and Mike Coykendall as you listen to the record. I don't think that the Mogis mixes are necessarily bad on their own, and they actually have a sort of old-fashioned mono-sounding vibe to them that does jive with the feel of these songs. If the whole record was mixed by him, I might have a different overall opinion. However, it's hearing his mixes next to very different, sonically wide and separated mixes that make the record less cohesive and make his work seem sub-standard. Definitely not a bad sounding album, and most tracks do sound very nice in their own way. It's mostly just a cohesiveness issue. Too bad. On all tracks, however, Zooey's voice sounds wonderfully warm and inviting, like it was recorded on a vintage ribbon microphone. I'm not sure if that's how they did it, but it sounds terrific.

The packaging is pretty basic. Single slipcase package, with the 180-gram LP held in a custom sleeve featuring lyrics on one side and production credits on the other. The album does come with a free digital download, which is really an essential and much appreciated touch nowadays if you're trying to get kids to buy your LP. So well done in that department, She.

I'm very glad I eventually gave this record a chance. It's not perfect, but it's an admirable effort from Ms. Deschanel, and though I'm not a big fan of his solo material, M. Ward's production compliments her writing very nicely. I've read that there will be a Volume 2 on the horizon and I'm hopeful that we'll be hearing more of what the unexpectedly talented Zooey Deschanel has to offer. There's a lot of potential there, so please keep writing music, Zooey. Also, you're impossibly adorable. I'm guessing Ben Gibbard is a very lucky man.

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Last day of Women's Appreciation Week is tomorrow... Jenny Lewis - Acid Tongue