KCRW Album Preview: She & Him “Volume 2”

With their debut as She & Him, actress Zooey Deschanel and multi-instrumentalist M. Ward proved that their creative collaboration was perfect for the creation of nostalgic sixties-inspired pop tinged with folk & country touches. On their second record, “Volume Two,” the mood is still dreamy and bittersweet but the harmonies have grown more layered and complex, the string arrangements more dramatic, the songwriting more confident.

“Volume Two” was recorded in Los Angeles (where She lives) and Portland, Oregon (where Him resides). In addition to the original material written by Deschanel, the record includes two wonderfully reimagined covers: “Riding In My Car” a should-have-been hit from NRBQ and “Gonna Get Along Without You,” a country-pop shuffle made famous by Skeeter Davis.

Volume Two will be available on-demand here March 15 through April 13, 2010. The album will be released on Tuesday, March 23.

RR