Wednesday, April 23, 2008

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.

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Tuesday, April 22, 2008

Thank you for the distraction, Zooey.

Today is the Pennsylvania primary, 78 years since the last one. One freaking state votes today, and in the past 78 years (six weeks), the race between Sens. Obama and Clinton have had me calling for rawhide and quoting "Fatal Attraction."

So don't fuck this up, PA. I'll be seeing Zooey Deschanel and M. Ward (She and Him) at Webster Hall tonight so I don't have to think about this bloody primary. I have a special place in my heart for Zooey Deschanel for two reasons: She's Emily Deschanel's sister and they're both fantastic, understatedly talented actors, and Zooey and I were born on the exact same day - January 17, 1980. So I'd like to think that I'm just as cool. But I'm probably not.

Also, I am going to try to lay off "Bones" spoilers. See, it's a rough addiction, this show. I actually have pretty excellent things coming up, but they're not coming up until May 20th - the day after the season finale. I could 'splode, I really could.

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