She & Him - "Fools Rush In"

M. Ward and Zooey Deschanel of She & Him recently recorded a fun cover of the Johnny Mercer and Rube Bloom classic "Fools Rush In." The song is part of the Levi's Pioneer Session series that also features cover songs by The Shins, The Dirty Projectors and The Swell Season. You can grab the rest of the songs here.

She & Him - "Fools Rush In"

She & Him - "Thieves"

Here's another new one from She & Him titled "Thieves" (via Stereogum). M. Ward hasn't had much vocal time yet in either of the duo's records, but he lends a few notes to the chorus here. Also be sure to check out the live version, recorded earlier this month via BBC 6.

She & Him - "Thieves" (from Vol. 2)

She & Him - "Thieves" (Live from BBC 6)

New She & Him: "In The Sun"

M. Ward and Zooey Deschanel are picking up where they left off after 2008's Volume One with the follow-up Volume Two set for release on March 23rd via Merge. The first of the 13 tracks to reach the interweb is "In The Sun," which features a chorus of backing vocals from Omaha band Tilly and The Wall and a nice crescendoing guitar solo from Ward that starts at the 2:10 mark then proceeds to orbit into space. Over at Merge you can pre-order an "In The Sun" 7-inch with a B-side cover of the Phil Spector and Ronettes classic "I Can Hear Music."

She & Him - "In The Sun" (from Volume Two)

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Soundtrack: 500 Days of Summer

This movie could be great. But it could also be terrible. Either way, it's soundtrack is loaded with some great songs including "Sweet Disposition" by Melbourne, Australia's Temper Tramp. The singer's crooning falsetto coupled with an echoing guitar riff makes for a Joshua Tree-era U2-like moment in its size and instant accessibility. 

Temper Tramp - "Sweet Disposition" (mp3) 

Buy: iTunes

Look Out For: M. Ward - Hold Time

M. Ward's songs chug along like an antique coal train where—if you listen—you can hear the clunk and creak of every movement. His train is worn and filled with spit and grime, but it produces a beautiful racket. On Hold Time, due out February 17, Ward greases the wheels on the tired singer-songwriter genre and produces his best and most complete work to date.

The classically-trained guitarist finger-picks, strums, and scratches his steel strings into shuffling rhythms that crackle and pop like they're playing from an old AM station. But Ward's not just banging pots and pans. The songs on Hold Time drift just as beautifully as they drive, often providing a quiet backdrop for his achy voice.

On the album’s second track, “Never Had Nobody Like You,” Ward teams with Zooey Deschanel, the other half of throwback pop-duo She & Him. The tandem's harmony on the chorus—"Now it's just like A, B, C; Life's just like 1, 2, 3"—is a warm blanket of sweet and throaty vocals paired with fuzzy distorted guitars.

Take a taste:

M. Ward - "Never Had Nobody Like You" (mp3)

Buy: Amazon