Serious question: would anyone listen to She & Him's music if it weren't for Zooey Deschanel? Consider me a bit of a pessimist here...but they have a tendency to be just a touch generic. I'm just not positive they could have stood out from the crowd on their own.
That said, here's what I think they've got going for them:
- Excellent production
- Unique though sometimes not-so-nice vocals
- Great guitar work from M.Ward
- Pop sensibilities that appeal to your mom
I guess when you round that all off with a celebrity lead-singer, you're going to get some attention. And honestly, I'm actually liking "I Could've Been Your Girl" a lot more than some of their prior releases (the Christmas carols were totally not my thing).
If you're keen to hear more, you can pre-order Volume 3 (due May 7th) via Merge Records.