She & Him — Classics
♠ Uplatňují stejný přístup k popovým normám, jak ho známe, není to však hudba k reklamám na zubní kartáčky, ani to nebylo tak zamýšleno. Ochrannou známkou dua je, že Ward se většinou pohybuje v pozadí, jeho zpěv působí jen jako stínění písma, je tady však výjimka v písních, nejprve “Time After Time” a vzápětí v “She”, kde se ujímá vedení.
♠ Velmi uklidňující kousek, toto album. Classics is the fifth studio album by She & Him, a collaboration between M. Ward and actress Zooey Deschanel. V Austálii na pozici #77, v Billboardu / Top Modern Rock/Alternative Albums, pěkné #4. ♠ Zooey Deschanel je vítězkou Mar del Plata Film Festival 2003 (Best Actress) a 2012 Critics' Choice Television Award (Best Actress in a Comedy Series (tied with Amy Poehler)).
Location: Portland, Oregon / Los Angeles, CA
Album release: December 2, 2014
Record Label: Columbia Records (US)
Duration: 39:03
Tracks:
01 Stars Fell On Alabama 2:01
02 Oh No, Not My Baby 3:22
03 It’s Not For Me To Say 3:16
04 Stay Awhile 2:38
05 This Girl’s In Love With You 3:20
06 Time After Time 3:23
07 She 3:25
08 Teach Me Tonight 2:30
09 It’s Always You 3:07
10 Unchained Melody (feat. The Chapin Sisters) 3:52
11 I’ll Never Be Free 3:23
12 Would You Like To Take A Walk? 2:06
13 We’ll Meet Again 2:40
Written by:
♠ Mitchell Parish / Frank Perkins 1
♠ Gerry Goffin / Carole King 2
♠ Robert Allen / Al Stillman 3
♠ Mike Hawker / Ivor Raymonde 4
♠ Burt Bacharach / Hal David 5
♠ Sammy Cahn / Jule Styne 6
♠ Charles Aznavour / Herbert Kretzmer 7
♠ Sammy Cahn / Gene DePaul 8
♠ Johnny Burke / James Van Heusen 9
♠ Alex North / Hy Zaret 10
♠ Bennie Benjamin / George David Weiss 11
♠ Mort Dixon / Billy Rose / Harry Warren 12
♠ Hugh Charles / Ross Parker 13
AWARDS:
Billboard Albums
♠ 2014 The Billboard 200 #41
♠ 2014 Top Digital Albums #21
♠ 2014 Top Modern Rock/Alternative Albums #4
♠ 2014 Top Rock Albums #7
REVIEW
STEPHEN THOMPSON ♠ NOVEMBER 23, 201411:03 PM ET
♠ Back in 2011, an album called A Very She & Him Christmas joined the eternal glut of holiday music. As might be expected, it featured a string of agreeably executed staples — "Rockin' Around The Christmas Tree," "Silver Bells," et al — played with timeless impeccability by the duo of Zooey Deschanel and M. Ward. She & Him's old–school studio–pop sensibility has always been an exercise in lightly comfortable familiarity, after all, and what could be more familiar than Christmas carols, many performed in the style of the era from which they originated?
♠ True to its title (and to the season in which it's released), She & Him's new Classics applies the same approach to pop standards — after all, the likes of "Unchained Melody" are as familiar as any holiday tune. The gee–whiz, gather–'round, live–in–the–studio lightness of it all works in much the same way: This is not music with teeth, nor was it ever intended to be.
♠ Instead, Deschanel and Ward opt for a great big charm offensive, breezing softly along the correct side of the fine line separating "charming" from "cloying." Amazingly, they only cross that line once: in a quaint two–minute take on 1930's "Would You Like To Take A Walk," which requires Deschanel to sing (among other things) words like "sarsaparilla" — a recipe for a toothache if ever there was one.
♠ But everywhere else, She & Him hits precisely the mark for which Deschanel and Ward aim every time. As on the duo's other albums, Ward mostly hovers in the background — his vocals show up only to provide shading in "Stars Fell On Alabama," "Time After Time" and others — though he grabs the lead in "She." That leaves Deschanel to steal a sweetly playful show that's as safe as a cup of warm milk, and every bit as comforting. ♠ http://www.npr.org/
Review by Timothy Monger; Score: ♠♠♠♠
♠ While the release of another standards album doesn't always elicit cries of celebration, some artists are perfectly suited to such a task. Taking a romp around their own bailiwick is a breeze for pop classicists like She & Him, who offer up this platter of elegantly conceived cover songs that resembles the very source material that probably inspired their first three albums of original fare. The warm, vintage pop, jazz, and country that Zooey Deschanel and M. Ward have always seemed so smitten with comes to life on Classics. This impeccably arranged set was largely recorded live with a 20–piece orchestra fleshing out romantic chestnuts like "Stars Fell on Alabama" and the Johnny Mathis classic "It's Not for Me to Say." With her sweet, winsome lilt, Deschanel has never really felt like a rock singer, and she seems completely in her element here interpreting these classy 20th century gems in a throwback style. Their take on Dusty Springfield's "Stay Awhile" sounds like vintage She & Him, while the rich orchestrations on songs like "Oh No, Not My Baby" and "This Girl's in Love with You" add a nice, sophisticated touch to their sound. Ward has plenty of chances to dispense his nimbly played, jazzy guitar tones throughout the set and takes over lead vocals on the understated "She" with Deschanel layering some wistful, lush backing vocals behind him. As on previous releases, the counterpoint of Deschanel's velvety croon and Ward's rugged baritone allows for some generally charming duets, and they pull off their best Ella & Louis imitation on the carefree "Would You Like to Take a Walk?" ♠ As a whole, the songs are well–dressed and very easy on the ears. Classics is meant to be pure entertainment and even though most of these songs have been sung before by a variety of other artists, in the hands of She & Him, it comes off less like a novelty and instead sits very comfortably in their growing catalog of fine releases. :: http://www.allmusic.com/
CREDITS:
♠ Robert Allen Composer
♠ Troy "Trombone Shorty" Andrews Trombone
♠ Charles Aznavour Composer
♠ Burt Bacharach Composer
♠ Art Baron Trombone, Vocals (Background)
♠ Bennie Benjamin Composer
♠ Steven Bernstein Trumpet, Vocals (Background)
♠ Anita Marisa Boriboon Art Direction, Design
♠ Johnny Burke Composer
♠ Sammy Cahn Composer
♠ The Chapin Sisters Featured Artist
♠ Abigail Chapin Vocals
♠ Lily Chapin Vocals
♠ Hugh Charles Composer
♠ Larry Crane Mixing
♠ Hal David Composer
♠ Pierre de Reeder Bass, Drums, Engineer, Percussion
♠ Autumn de Wilde Photography
♠ Gene DePaul Composer
♠ Zooey Deschanel Piano, Vocals, Vocals (Background), Wurlitzer
♠ Mort Dixon Composer
♠ Gerry Goffin Composer
♠ Tom Hagerman String Arrangements, Violin
♠ Curtis Hasselbring Trombone
♠ Mike Hawker Composer
♠ James Van Heusen Composer
♠ Jim Keltner Drums, Percussion
♠ Carole King Composer
♠ Herbert Kretzmer Composer
♠ Amanda Lawrence Viola
♠ Bob Ludwig Mastering
♠ Tim Luntzel Bass
♠ Alex North Composer
♠ Mitchell Parish Composer
♠ Ross Parker Composer
♠ Frank Perkins Composer
♠ Charlie Pillow Flute, Oboe, Sax (Alto), Vocals (Background)
♠ Ivor Raymonde Composer
♠ Boo Reiners Banjo
♠ Billy Rose Composer
♠ Tom Schick Engineer, Mixing
♠ Al Stillman Composer
♠ Jule Styne Composer
♠ Tyler Tornfelt Bass
♠ Nate Walcott Piano
♠ Harry Warren Composer
♠ Doug Weiselman Horn Arrangements
♠ George David Weiss Composer
♠ Doug Wiselman Clarinet, Flute, Clarinet (Bass), Sax (Baritone), Vocals
♠ Hy Zaret Composer
Website: http://www.mwardmusic.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/mwardtweeting
Website: http://www.sheandhim.com/
____________________________________________________________
♠ Uplatňují stejný přístup k popovým normám, jak ho známe, není to však hudba k reklamám na zubní kartáčky, ani to nebylo tak zamýšleno. Ochrannou známkou dua je, že Ward se většinou pohybuje v pozadí, jeho zpěv působí jen jako stínění písma, je tady však výjimka v písních, nejprve “Time After Time” a vzápětí v “She”, kde se ujímá vedení.
♠ Velmi uklidňující kousek, toto album. Classics is the fifth studio album by She & Him, a collaboration between M. Ward and actress Zooey Deschanel. V Austálii na pozici #77, v Billboardu / Top Modern Rock/Alternative Albums, pěkné #4. ♠ Zooey Deschanel je vítězkou Mar del Plata Film Festival 2003 (Best Actress) a 2012 Critics' Choice Television Award (Best Actress in a Comedy Series (tied with Amy Poehler)).
Location: Portland, Oregon / Los Angeles, CA
Album release: December 2, 2014
Record Label: Columbia Records (US)
Duration: 39:03
Tracks:
01 Stars Fell On Alabama 2:01
02 Oh No, Not My Baby 3:22
03 It’s Not For Me To Say 3:16
04 Stay Awhile 2:38
05 This Girl’s In Love With You 3:20
06 Time After Time 3:23
07 She 3:25
08 Teach Me Tonight 2:30
09 It’s Always You 3:07
10 Unchained Melody (feat. The Chapin Sisters) 3:52
11 I’ll Never Be Free 3:23
12 Would You Like To Take A Walk? 2:06
13 We’ll Meet Again 2:40
Written by:
♠ Mitchell Parish / Frank Perkins 1
♠ Gerry Goffin / Carole King 2
♠ Robert Allen / Al Stillman 3
♠ Mike Hawker / Ivor Raymonde 4
♠ Burt Bacharach / Hal David 5
♠ Sammy Cahn / Jule Styne 6
♠ Charles Aznavour / Herbert Kretzmer 7
♠ Sammy Cahn / Gene DePaul 8
♠ Johnny Burke / James Van Heusen 9
♠ Alex North / Hy Zaret 10
♠ Bennie Benjamin / George David Weiss 11
♠ Mort Dixon / Billy Rose / Harry Warren 12
♠ Hugh Charles / Ross Parker 13
AWARDS:
Billboard Albums
♠ 2014 The Billboard 200 #41
♠ 2014 Top Digital Albums #21
♠ 2014 Top Modern Rock/Alternative Albums #4
♠ 2014 Top Rock Albums #7
REVIEW
STEPHEN THOMPSON ♠ NOVEMBER 23, 201411:03 PM ET
♠ Back in 2011, an album called A Very She & Him Christmas joined the eternal glut of holiday music. As might be expected, it featured a string of agreeably executed staples — "Rockin' Around The Christmas Tree," "Silver Bells," et al — played with timeless impeccability by the duo of Zooey Deschanel and M. Ward. She & Him's old–school studio–pop sensibility has always been an exercise in lightly comfortable familiarity, after all, and what could be more familiar than Christmas carols, many performed in the style of the era from which they originated?
♠ True to its title (and to the season in which it's released), She & Him's new Classics applies the same approach to pop standards — after all, the likes of "Unchained Melody" are as familiar as any holiday tune. The gee–whiz, gather–'round, live–in–the–studio lightness of it all works in much the same way: This is not music with teeth, nor was it ever intended to be.
♠ Instead, Deschanel and Ward opt for a great big charm offensive, breezing softly along the correct side of the fine line separating "charming" from "cloying." Amazingly, they only cross that line once: in a quaint two–minute take on 1930's "Would You Like To Take A Walk," which requires Deschanel to sing (among other things) words like "sarsaparilla" — a recipe for a toothache if ever there was one.
♠ But everywhere else, She & Him hits precisely the mark for which Deschanel and Ward aim every time. As on the duo's other albums, Ward mostly hovers in the background — his vocals show up only to provide shading in "Stars Fell On Alabama," "Time After Time" and others — though he grabs the lead in "She." That leaves Deschanel to steal a sweetly playful show that's as safe as a cup of warm milk, and every bit as comforting. ♠ http://www.npr.org/
Review by Timothy Monger; Score: ♠♠♠♠
♠ While the release of another standards album doesn't always elicit cries of celebration, some artists are perfectly suited to such a task. Taking a romp around their own bailiwick is a breeze for pop classicists like She & Him, who offer up this platter of elegantly conceived cover songs that resembles the very source material that probably inspired their first three albums of original fare. The warm, vintage pop, jazz, and country that Zooey Deschanel and M. Ward have always seemed so smitten with comes to life on Classics. This impeccably arranged set was largely recorded live with a 20–piece orchestra fleshing out romantic chestnuts like "Stars Fell on Alabama" and the Johnny Mathis classic "It's Not for Me to Say." With her sweet, winsome lilt, Deschanel has never really felt like a rock singer, and she seems completely in her element here interpreting these classy 20th century gems in a throwback style. Their take on Dusty Springfield's "Stay Awhile" sounds like vintage She & Him, while the rich orchestrations on songs like "Oh No, Not My Baby" and "This Girl's in Love with You" add a nice, sophisticated touch to their sound. Ward has plenty of chances to dispense his nimbly played, jazzy guitar tones throughout the set and takes over lead vocals on the understated "She" with Deschanel layering some wistful, lush backing vocals behind him. As on previous releases, the counterpoint of Deschanel's velvety croon and Ward's rugged baritone allows for some generally charming duets, and they pull off their best Ella & Louis imitation on the carefree "Would You Like to Take a Walk?" ♠ As a whole, the songs are well–dressed and very easy on the ears. Classics is meant to be pure entertainment and even though most of these songs have been sung before by a variety of other artists, in the hands of She & Him, it comes off less like a novelty and instead sits very comfortably in their growing catalog of fine releases. :: http://www.allmusic.com/
CREDITS:
♠ Robert Allen Composer
♠ Troy "Trombone Shorty" Andrews Trombone
♠ Charles Aznavour Composer
♠ Burt Bacharach Composer
♠ Art Baron Trombone, Vocals (Background)
♠ Bennie Benjamin Composer
♠ Steven Bernstein Trumpet, Vocals (Background)
♠ Anita Marisa Boriboon Art Direction, Design
♠ Johnny Burke Composer
♠ Sammy Cahn Composer
♠ The Chapin Sisters Featured Artist
♠ Abigail Chapin Vocals
♠ Lily Chapin Vocals
♠ Hugh Charles Composer
♠ Larry Crane Mixing
♠ Hal David Composer
♠ Pierre de Reeder Bass, Drums, Engineer, Percussion
♠ Autumn de Wilde Photography
♠ Gene DePaul Composer
♠ Zooey Deschanel Piano, Vocals, Vocals (Background), Wurlitzer
♠ Mort Dixon Composer
♠ Gerry Goffin Composer
♠ Tom Hagerman String Arrangements, Violin
♠ Curtis Hasselbring Trombone
♠ Mike Hawker Composer
♠ James Van Heusen Composer
♠ Jim Keltner Drums, Percussion
♠ Carole King Composer
♠ Herbert Kretzmer Composer
♠ Amanda Lawrence Viola
♠ Bob Ludwig Mastering
♠ Tim Luntzel Bass
♠ Alex North Composer
♠ Mitchell Parish Composer
♠ Ross Parker Composer
♠ Frank Perkins Composer
♠ Charlie Pillow Flute, Oboe, Sax (Alto), Vocals (Background)
♠ Ivor Raymonde Composer
♠ Boo Reiners Banjo
♠ Billy Rose Composer
♠ Tom Schick Engineer, Mixing
♠ Al Stillman Composer
♠ Jule Styne Composer
♠ Tyler Tornfelt Bass
♠ Nate Walcott Piano
♠ Harry Warren Composer
♠ Doug Weiselman Horn Arrangements
♠ George David Weiss Composer
♠ Doug Wiselman Clarinet, Flute, Clarinet (Bass), Sax (Baritone), Vocals
♠ Hy Zaret Composer
Website: http://www.mwardmusic.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/mwardtweeting
Website: http://www.sheandhim.com/
____________________________________________________________