This week She and Him just dropped a new Album of sweet melodies, simply titled VOLUME TWO a perfect follow up to their 2008 VOLUME ONE. When I first heard these guys in 2008, I fell in love with their nostalgic sound. To me, the way they played and sang together was like a ghost of a golden era of music.

Their sound, though completely unique, toys around with chord progressions that are familiar, and melodies that seems as though they have been around since my childhood.

Their debut album was definitely one of the best of 2008, It even won them PASTE Magazine's album of the year. VOLUME ONE turned heads everywhere they could be turned, it was critically acclaimed and put Zooey Deschanel and M. Ward on the map as a creative song writers and performers.

It seems like it's been a long wait, me being such a huge fan and all, but it's finally here. SHE AND HIM -VOLUME TWO.

I was lucky enough to receive an e-mail from NPR and get a sneak preview listen to VOLUME TWO a week before the albums release. I was more than just a little satisfied and impressed by their progress, and their ability to follow such a great album as VOLUME ONE with so much magical grace.

There have been so many times that I have been let down by follow up albums. This would not be the case with SHE AND HIM. VOLUME TWO proves that in the future I can depend on Zooey and M to provide my listening ears with the kind of candy that they like.

On the first track, THIEVES, Zooey delivers her sweet spellbinding vocals with the smooth delivery and soft dreaminess that I have come to love her for, and M. Ward is so very tasteful with his guitar parts which are heavily influenced by the sounds of the fifties and early sixties. This song about the heartbreak of moving on and is a great intro to an amazing collection of songs.

IN THE SUN is their first single off of the album and has a fun video that you can watch at their website http://www.sheandhim.com . It is a sister song to their hit WHY DO YOU LET ME STAY HERE. It's a little song about the woes of being in a relationship that seems to be fading and the ability to finally accept that, although people change, through understanding and patience love can prevail.

DON'T LOOK BACK the next track, is a playful song whose lyrics play off of the legend of Orpheus.
It opens with the piano and makes great use of back up vocals and strings. I really like the arrangement
and the way the rhythms play off of each other.

On RIDIN' MY CAR M. Ward has a vocal spotlight. Zooey and M. have a fun lyrical trade off that makes me smile. I also like the vibes on this one, which M. Ward places in just the right places to create waves and flutters in the heart of the listener.

LINGERING STILL has a feel to it that is a cross between something south of the border and it's Hawaiian cousin. Great ukulele and pedal steel use to create this sound. The song also reminds me somehow of John Lennon's solo music.

ME AND YOU is reminiscent of SENTIMENTAL HEART from VOLUME ONE. This song also has great pedal steel and strings. I also like the message in this one. You gotta be kind to yourself.

The next track GONNA GET ALONG is a song that I could hear on a BOB DYLAN album. Although ZOOEY doesn't r sing like him at all, Lyrically and musically I can hear the influence of ZIMMERMAN.

The track HOME introduces hand drums, Hammond organ, and what sounds to me like accordion. There are breaks in this song which use tympani drums and maybe harp. This song has moments that feel like THE FLAMING LIPS or POLYPHONIC SPREE. This might very well be my favorite track on the album because the sounds are so diverse and the arrangement is so well done

The next two tracks I'M GONNA MAKE IT BETTER and SING give the album just a little bit of country flair while still remaining true to the SHE SND HIM sound.

OVER AND OVER AGAIN has my favorite back up vocals on the album, which to me, have an ELO feel that is something I have always been a huge fan of. This track is also special because it features Zooey on piano.

BRAND NEW SHOES is an up-close intimate acoustic song. The lyrics make me think of her portrayal of Dorothy on the Sci-Fi channels TIN MAN when she says “ I had some brand new shoes, they were all red but they gave me the blues” . The way this track is recorded, it almost feels like she is in the room with you.

The album closes in a classic way with a lullaby. IF YOU CAN'T SLEEP is a song to play when you blow out the candles and prepare to dream the most heavenly dreams . Personally I would love it if ZOOEY DESCHANEL was tucking me in every night.

So any of you that are already a fan of SHE AND HIM, you must go out and buy this album if you haven't already. For those of you that have never heard SHE AND HIM, right now is a good time to get started, with two volumes already available for you to fall in love with. Check out the links below and get to know these guys a little better.