This one came out of flapping NOWHERE. I was just leading my Bolton Wanderers to a delicious 4-1 road victory over Newcastle in the 2010 Premier League season opener… no big deal… And then Box comes in and lays down this vinyl treat. Blown away.
There are several things going on with this duo and album. Here’s what Box told me (knowing that she didn’t even have all that much info): it’s M Ward and that crazy chick from Almost Famous. They met during production of a movie or something. Decided to cut some tracks under the name “She & Him.” Frankly, I don’t know shit about this record. Too much for me to (1) care about or (2) take precious time rehashing when you can read their version of events here, the label’s version here, Wiki the whole endeavor here, or stick a ‘Fork in it here.
What I will say is that in many, many ways the delivery of this idea — this walk back 1960s lilly-folkrock lane — is absolutely perfect. And it’s all in the restraint of the production. I’m too lazy to look up the engineering credits right now, so rather than lather up some Nigel Godrich wannabe with lavender-scented aplomb, I’ll just tell you what I hear. This particular ditty should do the trick:
“I Thought I Saw Your Face Today” by She & Him (from Volume One)
This is 2:50 of pop in such a naked presentation that I can’t help but love it instantly. “Box… This is fucking PERFECT, this song. This whole album!!” I literally said that out loud. I know!! And then right after that scored with Harry Kewell from 25 yards out. Think there’s a FIFA-ChickRock nexus at play here? Mmmyes.
Back to the song. Zooey Deschanel does not have a perfect voice. She comes close to hitting most of the notes, sounds unsure of herself in some phrases. Yet, like Patsy Cline or Billie Holliday, there is a natural delivery to her singing that can be devastating under the right circumstances. Now this song isn’t devastating, or anything close. But it is perfect for Zooey’s nonchalant style. In this day of auto-tuning and pitch-correction, I’ll take honesty any day. And the way she starts off with a rolling melody over a solid piano-playing-1/4 note-chords structure (a little bass in there too — never hurts) just establishes her vulnerability. Don’t mind the strings as they come in during the first chorus. No, in fact, they’re quite tastily applied as texture against “I couldn’t help but fall in love again…”
Drums kick down the fence on this second verse. Establishes your normal Neil Young style rhythm to this jam. Really restrained on everything until the bridge — marked by dueling whistles — and just listen to how easily the drums switch to 16th-notes on the hi-hats and stay there through the rest of the song. Like a fucking tractor beam, it locks you in until the song fades out.
What the shit was that?!
Oh. That was a fucking sweetass tune, that’s what.
Wow, man. I have two reactions to this post.
1) I’m thrilled to see you get off your ass and actually write something here. Being someone who actually “knows stuff” about music brings a perspective heretofore absent from this blog, in that it is somewhat informed and musically intelligent.
2) You couldn’t be more wrong about this album doing anything other than totally sucking. Why in the world would anyone want to recreate a sound that was so god-awful to begin with? The fact that it’s two pretty hip people (both of whom I really, really like in their other creative outlets) doesn’t make cheesy 50’s-era pop duet garbage good music.
I lasted one listen of this album. The reaction I had was so viscerally negative– so practically violence-inducing– that it was only by pure luck that I recognized this swelling darkness in myself. I locked the album in a steel box and cast it in concrete before throwing it into the ocean. I still worried, though, that it would be brought back into my life by someone seeking to destroy me. Now I come to find that person is none other than one of my closest friends. You’ve hurt me, jimmymontreal. I never expected it to be you.
Counter-point:
1) Dick. I’ve been spending what free time I have fixing your band’s 50’s-era revival country duet music. [it's coming well, by the way...]
2) I have no problem with your not liking this album. When it comes to recognizing that you never liked the style they’re shooting for to begin with, it’s no surprise that you’d think the whole thing reeks of massive p’poo.
That said, the point of my post is that FOR WHAT IT IS they did a really good job hitting the mark — on this song in particular.
PS — I actually agree with you. The second half of this album sucks balls. I forgot to include that in the original post. Sorry.