A lot of ink has already been donated to the rarity of quality when it comes to actors\actresses-turned-musicians. I think most people tune out when there is that crossover because more often than not, it doesn’t feel legitimate.
In a great AV Club blog post they assert that in the music industry where there are so many hard working bands and artists out there who never seem to make it big, having an outsider use their fame as a means to suddenly undertake a music career, without the process of starting from scratch, it essentially leaves a foul taste with music fans. I would tend to agree, considering that the track record is less than great.
All of this is just a roundabout way of saying that She and Him — the duo of M. Ward and actress Zooey Deschanel — feels to me like the beginnings of something much more real.
The origins are well documented elsewhere (see every recent music magazine (real or web), blog or public radio outlet), but their debut Volume 1 is a relative success, more so if compared to the efforts of other former actors’ albums (looking at you Russell Crowe, Eddie Murphy and Shaq).
The other night (last night maybe?), Ward and Deschanel appeared on Conan O’Brien backed by none other than Yo La Tengo. The performance is short and she comes off a little nervous, but having listened to the album quite a bit, it’s nice to see the two of them making such endearing music, not to mention Ward getting some greater success and attention. Check it out below.