We know there's a "him" in there. Specifically, a Mr. M. Ward -- whose production and playing add a personal stamp to the nostalgic styles that suffuse the new March 23 She & Him album Volume 2. But we also know that "she" -- being actress, budding chanteuse and songwriter Zooey Deschanel -- is taking the creative reins on this slight but thoroughly winsome new album. The closer "If You Can't Sleep" is all Deschanel as her cotton-candy vocals are spun atop more vocal harmonies of the most celestial kind. Gooey? Zooey? Well, yes, but this is one blissed-out sugar high. More DC on S&H here.http://www.directcurrentmusic.com/march-23-2010/2010/2/22/she-him-volume-2.html
◎ 【戀夏500日】、【沒問題先生】正妹主角柔伊黛絲香奈Zooey Deschanel與搖滾鬼才M. Ward，聯手打造第二張音樂結晶
◎ 嬌俏美貌與傲人才情一次奉上，讓搖滾青年魂牽夢縈的超豐盛精神糧食
◎ musicOMH四顆半星景仰崇拜；Filter 86%高分讚譽；Entertainment Weekly、Alternative Press、All Music Guide一致★★★★ 以上等級推薦
◎ 發行首週，空降全美專輯榜Top 6！刷新樂團自身排行成績與首週銷售
01. Thieves
02. In The Sun
03. Don't Look Back
04. Ridin' In My Car
05. Lingering Still
06. Me And You
07. Gonna Get Along Without You Now
08. Home
09. I'm Gonna Make It Better
10. Sing
11. Over It Over Again
12. Brand New Shoes
13. If You Can't Sleep
作詞：Zooey Deschanel
作曲：M. Ward
If you can't sleep
I'll be there in your dreams
I'll be there in your dreams
If you can't sleep at all
And in your dreams
I'll touch your cheek
And lay my head on your shoulder
Goodbye shadows
Goodbye shadows
You're far away
If you can't see my face
if the world is cold
But the sun shines the same
Shut your eyes
There are bluer skies
For your embrace to my heart
Goodbye shadows
Goodbye shadows
If you can't sleep
I'll be there in your dreams
I'll be there in your dreams
If you can't sleep at all
And in your dreams
I'll touch your cheek
And lay my head on your shoulder
musicOMH.com：「結集眾多傑出歌曲，值得任何難搞樂迷仔細聆聽！」
The Onion：「帶來預期中的甜美，但明顯超越前作！」
Filter：「他們帶著極了不起的成果回來了！」
Alternative Press：「承續上張專輯迷人的成就，女主唱甜美的吟唱與迷人的旋律相得益彰！」
告示牌雜誌：「今夏最受矚目的樂團之一！」
貴為好萊塢新生代當紅女星，擁有嬌俏的美貌與身段，以及無數影迷的歡呼崇拜，是否還有什麼更值得妳去追逐實踐？有的，「柔伊黛絲香奈Zooey Deschanel」選擇與樂壇鬼才M. Ward共組一支雙人樂隊，發行她壓箱多年的優質創作。許多人因為【成名在望Almost Famous】這部電影，初識柔伊黛絲香奈，後來她陸續在【沒問題先生Yes Man】與【戀夏500日500 Days of Summer】等片出任女主角，以清新自然的演出迷倒一大票男性影迷。因為【The Go-Getter】導演的撮合，柔伊與獨立樂壇鬼才M. Ward有了音樂上的第一類接觸，M. Ward進而得知，柔伊私下擁有一定數量的音樂創作。仔細聽過試唱帶後，他發現這些作品的質量，早已遠遠超過許多專業歌手的水準。相談甚歡的兩人，決定進行更進一步的合作，柔伊除了填詞譜曲與主唱，還下場彈奏鋼琴等樂器，至於在獨立樂壇已享有盛名的M. Ward，則發揮出神入化的吉他演奏功力與監製長才。柔伊不希望己身的明星光環，模糊了兩人的發片焦點，因此特別在「謙遜、低調、匿名」的原則下，為樂隊取了「她和他樂團She & Him」這個團名。2008年他們發表首張專輯《Volume One》，首週即空降全美告示牌排行榜第81名，並在Paste Magazine該年的年終票選活動中，奪下「年度最佳專輯#1」頭銜。突然之間，大家才驚覺，柔伊過去所懷抱的音樂夢想，在身體力行之後，原來是這樣一片花團錦簇的傲人景象。
有了首張專輯亮眼的成績，She & Him在大家的期待之下，帶來第二張創作大碟《好事成雙Volume Two》，這次柔伊愈見成熟自信，兩人在和聲的運用上已臻完美，柔美雅緻的絃樂亦更見份量。本次照例依循上次的合作模式，除了兩首翻唱歌曲外，其餘創作全數出自柔伊的手筆，並交由M. Ward全權監製。本張專輯分別在洛衫磯與俄勒岡州波特蘭兩地錄音，期間邀請多位音樂人共襄盛舉，除了有M. Ward親自下場伴唱，歌手Mike Coykendall也在多首曲目中幫腔獻聲。優美爽朗的和音在本張專輯中，扮演十分重要的角色，藉此他們得以營造出昔日經典流行歌曲的層次感，以首支主打單曲〈In The Sun〉為例，特別邀請獨立流行組合Tilly and the Wall前來唱合，讓整首歌曲洋溢一片復古歡樂的特殊情調。多部合唱的清唱歌曲〈If You Can't Sleep〉，則美得像首聖歌，完全突顯柔伊純淨沉穩的嗓音，更證明她不受拘束的創作實力。本張專輯中，柔伊還特別翻唱NRBQ 1977年的單曲〈Ridin' In My Car〉，以及由Skeeter Davis唱紅的〈Gonna Get Along Without You Now〉，揭露她與眾不同的懷舊品味。
聆聽《Volume Two》，彷如享受一段沒有尾聲的春天，即使偶爾落下毛毛細雨，抬起頭來就能看見陽光下的那道彩虹，當然也少不了柔伊那抹迷人的微笑。
In many ways, it couldn't have been more unexpected. Indie film starlet, music junkie and erstwhile singer Zooey Deschanel teams up with singer/songwriter/guitarist and Monster of Folk-ster M. Ward and the resulting 2008 album - the cryptic Volume 1 by She and Him - turns out to be a critically-acclaimed collection of songs written not by him but by her. Of course Ward had a hand in the matter - he did, after all, arrange, produce, play and sing. "The process for Volume 2 (March 23) is exactly the same, " he observes. "It’s been the most natural extension of our interests and abilities. I think the songs lend themselves to production styles that I love and that she loves. There’s no need to change it now..."
So what's new this time around? "I think we both went for it a little bit more, so to speak," says Deschanel. “I think we were both more comfortable...This time we had a little more opportunity to reflect. Some of the production is extremely complex." Led by the sparkling, feel-good lead track "In the Sun", Volume 2 again sports a classic pop feel. From Brian Wilson to Carole King to 60's Brit Invasion to 70's SoCal folk/rock, the resulting influences spring no doubt from Ward and Deschanel's shared love for timeless, retro songwriters and lush harmonies. "People always expect you to be a fan of what’s happening now," says Deschanel, "but the things I gravitate toward are older and more worn." Recommended.
