A Very She & Him Christmas

by She & Him

Overview

Drawing inspiration, both musically and artistically, from classic holiday offerings from the likes of the Carpenters, the Beach Boys, and Vince Guaraldi, M. Ward and Zooey Deschanel's third outing under the She & Him moniker finds the impossibly quirky duo tackling its first collection of Christmas music. A Very She & Him Christmas is all about the kitsch, from the retro packaging complete with a hyper-stylized photo shot by photographer Autumn De Wilde and liner notes in the form of a signed Christmas card, to the swingin' choices, many of which are culled from the aforementioned Carpenters/Beach Boys outings. Musically, the duo keeps things simple, utilizing guitar and vocals, peppered with the occasional bit of percussion, ukulele, or organ. Deschanel handles the majority of the leads, and when she stays in a lower register ("The Christmas Song," "Blue Christmas") the results can be winning, especially when they're slathered in classic, Les Paul/Mary Ford-inspired slapback delay. However, busier cuts like "Sleigh Ride," "Little Saint Nick," and "Christmas Day" reveal a charming yet pitchy vocalist with all of the inflections of a classic torch singer, and none of the discipline. ~ James Christopher Monger

Product Details

Release Date:	10/24/2011
Label:	Merge
UPC:	0673855042411
Rank:	11034

Tracks

1. The Christmas Waltz
2. Christmas Day
3. Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas
4. I'll Be Home for Christmas
5. Christmas Wish
6. Sleigh Ride
7. Rockin¿¿¿ Around the Christmas Tree
8. Silver Bells
9. Baby, It¿¿¿s Cold Outside
10. Blue Christmas
11. Little Saint Nick
12. The Christmas Song

Album Credits

Performance Credits

She & Him   Primary Artist
Zooey Deschanel   Piano,Vocals,Ukulele
Pierre de Reeder   Percussion
Jim Keltner   Percussion

Technical Credits

Frank Loesser   Composer
Kim Gannon   Composer
Greg Calbi   Mastering
Pierre de Reeder   Mixing,Engineer
Jule Styne   Composer
Mel Torme   Composer
Mike Post   Assistant Engineer
Buck Ram   Composer
Brian Wilson   Composer
Walter Kent   Composer
Tom Schick   Mixing,Engineer
Sammy Cahn   Composer
Autumn de Wilde   Photography
Kabir Hermon   Assistant Engineer
Chris Claypool   Assistant Engineer
Kate Harmer   Design