She & Him: Music to make you wiggle...

Zooey Deschanel does her best June Carter/Linda Ronstadt/Dusty Springfield on Volume One, a new album which sees Zooey handling the majority of the songwriting and vocals and Indie stalwart M. Ward producing.

Volume One sees Zooey dance effortlesly from countrified Beatles cover to 60's pop-soul on the strength of her distinct voice, which carries a depth and character sorely lacking in 21st century music. It's no wonder then that Zooey sounds so at home with M. Ward's retro production.

You may recognize Zooey from Cameron Crowe's Almost Famous, or a host of other films and TV shows. She is one of a few actresses (see Johanson, Scarlett, Lewis, Juliette) daring the skeptics of Pitchfork, Stereogum, et. all. You can read Pitchfork and Stereogum's takes, but I'd also suggest listening to sampling of She & Him here.

Occasionally, the album borders on kitsch, but that's nitpicking. Amy Winehouse rode her soulful sound to the top of the charts. I don't know where Zooey's voice will take her, but her first offering is certainly refreshing and deserves a place on your playlist.