She & Him is the somewhat unlikely pairing of country-folk artist
M. Ward and actress
Zooey Deschanel. While starring in the 2007 film The Go-Getter,
Deschanel was asked by director Martin Hynes to perform a duet with
Ward, who had agreed to helm the movie's soundtrack. The two recorded a well-received cover of
Richard & Linda Thompson's "When I Get to the Border" and later reconvened in Portland, where they set to work on recording
Deschanel's own material (which the actress had previously kept secret) in
Ward's studio. Drawing upon analog production techniques and the timeless catalogs of
the Zombies,
Dusty Springfield, and
Linda Ronstadt, the duo emerged with
Volume One, a collection of covers and originals that introduced
Deschanel as a competent singer/songwriter. ~ Andrew Leahey, All Music Guide