She & Him is the new duo consisting of Zooey Deschanel, whose day job is on the big screen, and M. Ward, already a darling of the indie scene.

They blend early ‘60’s influenced pop and country, light-hearted tales of love and heartbreak, and a reverence for times past with impressive sincerity and confidence.

At Terminal 5 on Saturday night, She & Him sprinkled their sweet sounds on a spread of mostly eighteen to twenty-eight year old fans.

She: Zooey Deschanel soaked up the spotlight clad in a glittery, blue-sequined dress, white pumps, and an oversize hair bow. Dancing with a tambourine in-hand and accessorizing with a cutesy grin, she succeeded in charming the audience with her melodious singing voice.

Him: M. Ward, channeling the iconic Johnny Cash man-in-black vibe, was the mysterious guy playing guitar off to the side. He acted the male supporting role to Zooey’s female lead.

She & Him has a sound that chats rather than pontificates, and begs to play with – not at – the audience. The lofty Terminal 5 is not the most suitable venue for such an act and Deschanel’s big voice would have been all the more evocative in a more intimate space.

In addition to this unintentionally impersonal vibe was a limited band interaction with its audience. Deschanel addressed the audience only a couple of times, each being a short one-liner. M. Ward did not speak to the audience at all. On a similar note, the background harmonizers had a difficult time competing with the volume of Deschanel’s booming voice.

Yet the band proved to be both crowd-pleasing and delightful. “You Really Got A Hold On Me” brought the first moment of grandeur: the backing band removed from stage and only Deschanel, Ward, and his guitar to serenade the crowd. The song cemented the connection between band and audience that had been previously peripheral. This relationship was most rewarding when She & Him reached an apex of quality, playing a gratifying three-song climax: “I Thought I Saw Your Face Today”, “Why Do You Let Me Stay Here?” and “This Is Not A Test”.

Deschanel then announced “this is our last song” and the band broke into the fun, upbeat, and sugary sounds of “Sweet Darlin’”. The song ends with the repetition of “Sweet darlin’, come hold me, just a little bit longer now”. The pleading worked, and the audience lingered a little bit longer for more.

Watch the show:

“You Really Got A Hold Me”

“Sentimental Heart”

“Sweet Darlin’”

Setlist:
“Black Hole”
“Change Is Hard”
“I Was Made For You”
“Sentimental Heart”
“You Turn Me On, I’m A Radio” (Joni Mitchell cover)
“You Really Got A Hold On Me” (The Miracles cover)
“Take It Back”
“Thieves Among Us” (performed with Becky Stark)
“Got Me”
“I Thought I Saw Your Face Today”
“Why Do You Let Me Stay Here?”
“This Is Not A Test”
“Sweet Darlin’”
–ENCORE–
“Bring It On Home” (Sonny Boy Williamson II cover)
“Magic Trick” (M. Ward song)

Visit She & Him on MySpace.

*above photo from HERE