Don't call it a throw-back: She & Him are worth the back pain and sleep deprivation.

As I mentioned, I was lucky enough to see Zooey Deschanel and M. Ward (She & Him) perform at Webster Hall last night. My review: I heart them both. And Zooey Deschanel is the only person in the world who could get me to like any form of country music, and it's because she doesn't have a typical "country singing voice" (read: "bad singing voice"). She sings like the old-timey country singers, and my friend who got me the ticket (THANK YOU PETE) made the comment that she should have played June Carter Cash instead of Reese Witherspoon. But she doesn't just sing old-fashioned country music. With M. Ward's guitar, the two can be bluesy, jazzy or straight-up fun. Anyone who tries to pinpoint exactly what kind of musicians She & Him are should stop and just listen.

Zooey Deschanel also had no speaking voice (and spoke to us with signs and happy tambourine shakes), but Pete attested to her sounding just as good as she does on their album. But it was kind of obvious that she's not used to performing as a musician, which is fine by me since it's gives her a totally unpretentious air about her. "You know me for my acting, and now I'm gonna sing for you. I hope you like it!"

Definitely getting the album. And falling asleep at about 9:00 tonight. And taking Tylenol for my back, and not wearing heels again for a week. But it was worth it. And I think the magic left over enabled me to spell "tambourine" correctly on the first try.