Album Review: ‘Volume 3’ by She & Him

Contrary to popular belief, Zooey Deschanel is not entirely synonymous with Jessica Day, the goofy and romantically challenged protagonist of her show “New Girl.” In fact, she was first the lead singer of She & Him, a two-person musical group made up of herself and M. Ward, who plays more of a background role in this album.

It’s been a while, but now the pair has released its new album, simply titled “Volume 3.” It is perfectly timed for spring – it’s airy and light, full of whimsy and sweet ideas. In fact, this album sounds very much like a slower-paced Beach Boys album, with Deschanel serving as the band’s Brian Wilson.

Not that that’s a bad thing. The entire appeal of “Volume 3” is in its timeless aesthetic. From Deschanel’s vocal hooks to the acoustic guitar, occasional strings and deep electric guitar that make up the primary instrumental accompaniment to the songs on the album, “Volume 3” is timed perfectly for the beginning of spring and begs to be listened to on a drive down the Pacific Coast Highway.

The album includes several highlights. “Never Wanted Your Love” is a clever love song, and Deschanel’s voice and songwriting shine in lines like “All I know is that I’m tired of being clever/ Everybody’s clever these days.”

“Baby” is another perfectly pleasant duet, and stands out on the album because M. Ward lends his vocal talent to the track. But as nice as this song is, it reveals a flaw: the near-absence of M. Ward’s vocals in the rest of the tracks. Yes, he works behind the scenes and is no doubt crucial to the group’s sound and success, but the presence of his voice would have provided some variety to Deschanel’s, which has a somewhat limited range and can almost lull the listener into not paying attention over the course of “Volume 3.”

“Something’s Haunting You” perhaps comes the closest to being a sad song, because Deschanel is essentially singing to a depressed person, trying to draw him out of his shell: “You seem to be having fun/ Raising your glass to no one . . . What am I to do/ When something’s haunting you again.” Also worth noting is that this song includes a xylophone solo, which manages to sound both ironic and appropriate at the same time.

Finally, the best song on the album is “London,” a short – and well-deserved – ode to the city of London, driven by a well-written and lilting piano melody. Deschanel sings about the stereotypical gloom of London but all in the context of a love letter to the English city, summed up by the lyric “Oh, London, I love you.” It’s a short song, clocking in at just under two and a half minutes, but it shines.

Finally, the album ends on “Reprise (I Could’ve Been Your Girl),” an instrumental song that serves as perfect exit music for a generally solid set of songs that, though it can at times slip into sounding a little monotonous, will surely find success among indie audiences attracted to its pleasant and nostalgic sound.