She & Him

California-raised and Portland-based singer-songwriter and guitarist M. Ward has released four records, the latest being "Post War." He has collaborated with such people Neko Case, Conor Oberst, Jim James, Nels Cline and Jenny Lewis. Los Angles born actress and singer Zooey Deschanel spent most of her early life singing in choirs. She made her film debut in 1999's Mumford and became known for her supporting roles in movies such as Almost Famous and The New Guys as well as her lead roles in movies such as Elf and All the Real Girls.

Together they form the folk duo She & Him, which just recently released their first album together, Volume One, on Merge Records in March of this year. Combining Ward's unique arrangement and guitar playing with Deschanel's vocal harmony the music is the feeling of pop and country records from the early and mid part of the 20 th Century. They used their own musical skills but also employed the help of musicians Rachel Blumberg, Adam Selzer, Mike Coykendall, Tom Hagerman, Peter Broderick, Mike Mogis and Paul Brainerd. Though Ward is an old pro at creating records, this was Deschanel's first. According to Ward, "This was her first record, and she was discovering all the things she's capable of."

Though relatively new, She & Him have sold out everywhere they've played. They have also had the pleasure of playing at the 2008 South by Southwest festival. This summer, they will be performing several concerts, including a high-profile spot at the Newport Folk Festival.

The two started collaborating in 2006 after working together to record a duet for the film The Go-Getter starring Deschanel and featuring original music by Ward. Director Martin Hynes had asked the duo to work on a cover of Richard and Linda Thompson's song "When I Get to the Border" to be played in the end credits. Before the creation of She & Him, the only musical exhibition Deschanel had had was a duet with Will Ferrell for the song "Baby, It's Cold Outside" for the film Elf.

Deschanel, however, had been writing since she was eight and was hording tons of demo tapes in her home which she was too terrified to share with the world. Says Deschanel, "It's a very personal experience writing music... It's hard the first time you say, 'I like this, do you think this is OK?' That's very scary." But for "Volume One," Deschanel wrote most of the music, relinquishing her songwriting to the public.

As for the name, M. Ward and Zooey Deschanel could have easily used their famed names to represent their music but instead they decided to go a simpler route by using the inconspicuous name She & Him. According to Deschanel, "We both talked about liking the idea of a name that is sort of anonymous and humble. I always like the name The Band because it's not about being like the star of anything, it's about the music." Though this is only their first album, there will surely be more to come from this dynamic duo.

— Lauren Vislocky


TOP