She & Him: A Very She & Him Christmas [MERGE]

Why you'll love it

This Merge vinyl edition comes with a greeting card insert and a download. The album reached No. 12 on the Billboard 200 and went to No. 1 on both the US Folk and Independent Albums charts.

This edition

• Greeting card insert
• Download included

About the album

Zooey Deschanel and M. Ward first met making a film, bonded over records produced by Phil Spector and George Martin, and somehow it took them until their third album to make a Christmas one. When they did, Ward produced it at Kingsize Soundlabs in Los Angeles and the Magic Shop in New York, keeping things spare and sweet.

Deschanel sings, plays piano and ukulele, and Ward adds guitar, organ and harmonies, with Jim Keltner on percussion and Pierre de Reeder engineering. "The Christmas Waltz" sets the cosy tone, Brian Wilson's "Christmas Day" and the Beach Boys' "Little Saint Nick" nod to the duo's love of 60s pop, "Christmas Wish" borrows from NRBQ's Joey Spampinato, and "Baby, It's Cold Outside" swaps the usual roles. "I'll Be Home for Christmas" turned up in the New Girl holiday episode The 23rd, starring Deschanel.

When it first came out, proceeds went to 826 National, the nonprofit network of writing and tutoring centres. It's the rare holiday record that suits both the tree trimming and the quiet morning after, and we've known it to outlast the tinsel.

Also at Kops: more She & Him on vinyl · browse Alternative

Tracklist

Listen

On Merge (cat# MRG424), a reissue of the 2011 album.