She & Him is an indie folk/rock duo made up of multi-instrumentalist/vocalist M. Ward and actress Zooey Deschanel (Elf, New Girl). Ward is a fine musician (note to self: check out his solo stuff). Deschanel's breathy voice can be charming, but she has occasional issues with vocal range, pitch, and phrasing. This one could use a little less She and a little more Him. However, I love the laid-back coffee house vibe of the album. She & Him played it safe here and that's how I like my Christmas albums.
Peak on the US Billboard Top 200 chart: #12 (Jan 7, 2012)
Tracks: 12 cover tunes in about 32 minutes; don't expect long stretched-out solos. The best are Christmas Day (originally by the Beach Boys), Christmas Wish (originally by NRBQ), and Silver Bells. The album finishes with a fantastic version of Mel Torme's The Christmas Song in which Deschanel's voice is splendid. She can do it right when she wants to. The worse tracks are The Christmas Waltz (which exposes Deschanel's vocal shortcomings) and a rushed version of Baby, It's Cold Outside.
Personal Memory Associated with this CD: None
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