Q & A WITH SHE & HIM
by Francois Marchand
When Matt “M.” Ward and Zooey Deschanel revealed their collaboration under the name She & Him in late 2006, it almost felt like the indie sphere was about to die of an acute case of cute.
To combine the two seemed like the perfect pairing: both shared a deep appreciation for the work of Phil Spector and George Martin, for the old sounds and harmonies of classic folk and pop songwriting, and when the duo’s debut, Volume One, was released in 2008, it became one of that year’s most appreciated and critically acclaimed albums.
Ward had already grown to indie-phenom status, thanks to his spellbinding solo work, years before his involvement with rootsy supergroup Monsters of Folk. Deschanel, the wide-eyed actress and singer who had revealed her smoky set of pipes in the Will Ferrell-anchored comedy Elf, already had a uniquely sweet style all of her own.
In the early stages of Ward and Deschanel’s partnership, most of the press attention was devoted to Deschanel’s status as a singer, in comparison with her movie career, and with so many other actors’ ventured detours into the realm of pop music.
But by the time She & Him‘s followup record, Volume Two, had been released earlier this year, there was no doubting it: M. Ward and Zooey Deschanel were now “of She & Him fame” proper. Volume Two had taken the duo’s debut album and amped up its pop recipe exponentially.
Ward recently spared a few minutes from his busy schedule to answer some emailed questions in advance of the duo’s Vancouver show.
Q: Tell us a little bit about the process of going into the studio to make Volume Two. Was there ever any doubt Volume One (which hinted it was the first of, possibly, many recordings) would have a follow-up?
A: No. Zooey’s pretty prolific, so I knew there would be another record around the corner. The process for Volume Two was the same as Volume One: Zooey writes the songs and then I’ll arrange and produce.
Q: The production is much more layered this time around, with a greater “wall of sound” effect throughout. Did it feel like more of a challenge to record this way, or did it feel like you could take more risks after the success of Volume One?
A: I treat every record I’ve ever produced the same way: play the demos on repeat, listen to where the song is telling you it wants to go, and then do everything you can to stay out of its way.
Q: What were some of the influences that came into play for Volume Two? And how were the two cover songs selected?
A: We definitely have a love for older ideas in music. My biggest inspiration comes from listening to older records, older guitar styles, and older production styles. Zooey listens to all kinds of music, but she’s mostly inspired by harmony singers and older girl groups from the last century. We’re constantly covering other people’s songs. Zooey suggested (Patience and Prudence’s) ‘Gonna Get Along Without You Now” and I suggested (NRBQ’s) “Ridin’ In My Car,” so we tried them out and they took on a life of their own.
Q: Volume Two shot to No. 6 on Billboard upon its release. What did it mean to you as an indie act?
A: It’s just good to see there is still a market for music I like to make.
Q: What do you see happening in the future, considering how much both of you are involved in other projects?
A: Our Vancouver show will be our last show of the year. We are going to take a break for the holidays after that.
Q: Will there be a Volume Three?
A: Yes, but we can’t say when or what it will sound like, as we’ve just been focused on supporting Volume Two.