She & Him

Volume Two

Merge Records

Rocks like: Rilo Kiley, Feist

Grade:… She & Him

Volume Two

Merge Records

Rocks like: Rilo Kiley, Feist

Grade: A-

The transition from actress to musician is a tough one, and failed attempts litter the road to success. So it’s refreshing to see Zooey Deschanel continue to make the transition so smoothly with the release of her second album with She & Him.

Deschanel started her musical side project in 2006 with singer-songwriter M. Ward after the pair collaborated on a song for her film “The Go-Getter.”

She & Him established itself as a charming, indie folk band, and its newest release Volume Two sticks to this cute and quirky formula.

Volume Two is more refined than the band’s previous release, Volume One, but is still just as fresh and easygoing.

The album manages to be sweet without sounding too saccharine, and although the lyrical content isn’t exactly what you would call “gripping,” the songs are catchy and fun to listen to.

Tracks such as “Thieves,” “Sing” and “If You Can’t Sleep” show how much Deschanel’s vocal ability has progressed since the last album, and arrangements by Ward complement her vocals well.

This could be because they completed the majority of Volume One by e-mail, whereas Volume Two was completed together in one studio, which has produced a much more cohesive album.

The problem with Volume Two isn’t in the content — the album is a standout — but where the duo will go next.

A band can only rely on being sweet and quirky for so long. But for now, fans of She & Him will gobble this album up, and first-time listeners are in for a treat.