Album Stream: She & Him - Volume Two

Summer. Her collaboration with producer/performer M. Ward -- She & Him -- has become quite the force in today's music scene.NPR's Exclusive First Listen has made the duo's second album, the appropriately-if-not-imaginatively titled Volume Two, available for a full album stream a whole week before the album is released...

By Michael Lopez

March 15, 2010

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Summer. Her collaboration with producer/performer M. Ward -- She & Him -- has become quite the force in today's music scene.

NPR's Exclusive First Listen has made the duo's second album, the appropriately-if-not-imaginatively titled Volume Two, available for a full album stream a whole week before the album is released.

The line between actor and musician has been graciously blurred in the last five years. Jeff Bridges' Oscar win for his turn as Bad Blake in Crazy Heart was absolutely deserved as he poured his heart, soul and -- most importantly -- talent into that role. Deschanel, like Bridges, has sang before in one of her roles, the charming Jovie in 2003's Elf.

Fast-forward five years and Deschanel's work with M. Ward lead to the equally-excitingly named Volume One. Critically-acclaimed and widely-beloved, Volume One proved that Deschanel had the singing chops to carry an entire album. Mixed with M. Ward's stellar production, Volume One all but signified that the duo would have at least another album.

March 23 marks the release of She & Him's Volume Two with M. Ward at the production helm yet again. She & Him will be performing at this year's Coachella Valley Arts & Music Festival at a no doubt widely attended set.

So enjoy the album stream well before the album comes out a week from tomorrow. I think NPR noticed the same thing I did concerning this week's dearth of new releases and went ahead and green-lighted this stream, to which I am much obliged.

NPR Exclusive First Listen: She & Him -- Volume Two.

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