She & Him Volume Two (Domino)
2/5
By: Theo Krekis
Cryptic message for the reader: Hers and His. Girl and Boy. Woman and Man. Ladies and Gentlemen. If those awfully perplexed collection of words wasn’t enough, let me explain. Here we have Volume Two, the latest effort from sleepy pop singer-meets-actress duo She & Him. It’s cleverly titled after their first album, Volume One.
Original? Far from it. Avoiding any form of infringement on Led Zeppelin’s copyright by placing the word Volume in front of the album number is hardly that thought provoking. But let us not dwell on album titles as I can go on for more than needs be, and I’m sure your eyes will begin to wander off the screen and start counting the coffee ring stains on your desk.
Detracted, but not lost. Perhaps a better title for their album.
Volume Two can most aptly be described as a soundtrack to falling in love. Imagine it - skipping through a field of flowers, hand in hand, flirtatiously looking into each others’ eyes - this is the album you’d both be listening to. Tracks, such as ‘In The Sun’ and ‘I’m Gonna Make It Better’ emit a feeling of warmth and compassion, delivered by the musically talented duo (the world seems universally agreed that though foremost famed for her acting, Zooey Deschanel’s voice is actually pretty OK).
Unfortunately, Volume Two lacks any of the ‘standing in the rain with dead flowers screaming at your ex’s window’ tracks. It’s all very happy and serene - perhaps too happy and serene. There’s no journey here, nothing to make you appreciate the complexities and intricacies of the music (which do exist, albeit subtly). Rather, the listener sticks it on in the knowledge that the first track will be just like the third, which will be just like the seventh...
However, Ward and Deschanel must be commended for their ability in creating a sound of warm, welcoming nostalgia. Although most tracks sound like the one before and indeed the one after, it still maintains that acoustic airy pop feel of which I’ve always been fond, not too dissimilar from that made by Belle and Sebastian. If you liked Volume One, chances are you won’t be disappointed with more music to skip hand in hand on a summer’s day with a loved one to.
Artists in this article: She and Him
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