She & Him is a new collaborative musical project between actress Zooey Deschanel and alt-singer/songwriter M. Ward. Before you roll your eyes at the mention of yet another actress attempting to break into the music industry, give She & Him's debut, Volume One, a listen. Chances are you'll be pleasantly surprised by their folk/alt-country/indie-pop concoction.

Full album review after the jump

M. Ward and Zooey Deschanel met in 2006 while recording a duet for the 2007 movie The Go-Getter and quickly discovered their shared musical interests. Deschanel's closet songwriting habit was revealed in their conversations, and the two talked of collaborating further. She & Him is the aurally pleasing product of their musical dialogue. Deschanel's voice is nostalgic and startlingly reminiscent of jazz singers from decades past, and Ward supplies a sonorous background for her whimsical tales of love and heartbreak.

Album opener "Sentimental Heart" is a great introduction to Deschanel's sweet, simple vocal and playful songwriting about heartbreak (a recurring theme on Volume One). The next track, "Why Do You Let Me Stay Here?", is my current favorite from the album. Deschanel's charm shines through in her voice, and by the end of the song you're left wondering why anyone would leave her "sitting on the shelf".

The opening strains of "This Is Not A Test" brought to mind an Eagles song (I can't quite put my finger on which one), but as Deschanel chimes in the sound takes a completely different turn. I enjoy her use of uncomplicated phrasing; her lyrics are easy to understand, and I think that the simplicity of it all serves to highlight the gentle richness of her voice. However, I can imagine that some listeners will be turned off by what could come across as a lack of innovation or originality.

A few songs explore folk-country territory (check out "Got Me", "Black Hole" and "Change Is Hard") and Deschanel's voice works as well on those as it does on the more pop/standards-influenced tracks. Amid all the heartache a few more upbeat tracks are sprinkled in, such "I Was Made For You" and "Sweet Darlin'", suggesting that perhaps Deschanel's romantic life isn't so gloom-and-doom after all. The covers included - The Beatles' "You Really Gotta Hold On Me" and "I Should Have Known Better" - are both pleasant enough, but Deschanel and Ward don't really bring anything new to these classics.

Those who are interested in She & Him primarily because of M. Ward's previous vocal work might be disappointed with Volume One because the album is definitely meant to showcase Deschanel's vocals and songwriting. Aside from a few vocal appearances (most notably on "You Really Gotta Hold On Me"), Ward and his guitar stay carefully out of the spotlight.

I watched a few videos of She & Him's performances at this year's SxSW and was a little surprised to see that Deschanel appeared uncomfortable onstage. I've read that she previously kept her propensity for songwriting very much a secret, so perhaps it's been unnerving to go from recording at home alone to suddenly having a fairly large audience. I hope to see her onstage persona blossom as she becomes a more experienced performer.

Overall, Volume One is a pleasant, easy-to-listen-to introduction to Deschanel's musical inclinations. Those who were intrigued by her version of "Baby It's Cold Outside" in Elf will likely appreciate her work with She & Him. I hope that Ward and Deschanel further pursue this project; I'd like to hear more of Ward on future material. Standout tracks for me included "Why Do You Let Me Stay Here?", "Black Hole", "I Was Made For You", and "Sweet Darlin'".

Cereal's rating: 7.46789/10 spoons.

Carpe ientaculum.

--Cereal