By Emily Farra
I’ll go ahead and say it—I love everything about Zooey Deschanel.  I love her clothes.  Her taste in men.  Her films— even Failure to Launch, where her small role was enough for me to tolerate Terry Bradshaw’s nakedness, Bradley Cooper’s creepy blue eyes, and Matthew McConaughey (enough said).  But what I love most about Zooey Deschanel is her music—in fact, it’s almost an obsession.  Her collaboration with M. Ward, She & Him, has been one of my favorite bands since I first heard “Why Do You Let Me Stay Here?” just days after their debut of Volume I.

She & Him has earned Zooey more attention in the music industry than ever before, and the highly anticipated sophomore release Volume II does not disappoint.  While Volume I remains close to my heart, the collection of songs reads a little cautious. Volume II is beautifully cohesive, yet still lets Zooey’s personality shine through on every song.  While a lot of people doubt her actual creative involvement with She & Him and assume M. Ward just lets Zooey put her name on the credits, this couldn’t be farther from the truth.  It really doesn’t even sound like an M. Ward album at all.  Zooey wrote every song and put her vintagey, 60s-inspired twist on the music—but these influences are subtle, and She & Him are in no way a gimmicky retro-pop group that belongs in another time period.  Their albums are modern, genuine and accessible, allowing the old-timey ideas to add a refreshing does of whimsy and personality.

Zooey’s unfussy lyrics and easy melodies make every song on Volume II amazing in its own way, but some of the best tracks include the dreamy “Don’t Look Back,” country-twangy “I’m Gonna Make It Better” and the infectious hit single “In the Sun” (which also became one of my favorite videos of the year).  I could easily listen to the album all day long, but especially can’t wait to put it on repeat this summer while I drink lemonade on my porch, do color-by-numbers, and shop for romantic vintage clothes like Zooey’s.  (Creepy fan alert.)
Rating: 10/10

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