She & Him

Though Scarlett Johansson's 2008 debut album might be the most buzzed about, another sultry starlet has entered the music world.

Zooey Deschanel has teamed up with indie star Matt "M. Ward" Ward to form the cutely-named She & Him. Although pairing M. Ward with anyone seems odd, the two work well together, and their album, Volume One, is a surprisingly enjoyable debut.

Anyone doubting Deschanel's singing abilities needs only look back to her role in Elf, and she fulfills her potential on Volume One. Her voice is warm and sweet with a slight twang accentuated by Ward's instrumentals. Sure her vocal skills may not rival Billie Holiday's, but Deschanel is plenty deserving of an album.

If that's not enough, she even displays competency in song-writing, having penned nine of the album's 11 tracks. Again, her lyrical skills might not compete with that of Jeff Mangum, but she avoids the inanity one might expect from an actress.

Deserving the most praise however is Ward, whose compositions are written around Deschanel's voice. Of course, She & Him pales in comparison to Ward's solo work, but he lets the actress'-nay, singer's-voice shine through. "I Was Made For You" is a '50s-inspired pop song about "waiting for a boy like you," rife with "ooo-dum-de-dum"s. Under lesser hands, Deschanel's song could have failed, but Ward gives it a playful treatment, making it a winner.

Yet, the album's best tracks are their duets, which consequently accentuate how perfect these two are together. The first of the duets and by far the album's standout, "You Really Gotta Hold Me," subtly blends Ward's vocals and succeeds in every way a duet should. "I Should Have Known Better" hits the right notes, proving the two are good enough to cover musical legends akin to the Beatles.

A second volume for She & Him might be excessive. It's not Post-War, but it's worth a listen even if you just want to imagine Deschanel serenading you.