Zooey deschanel and m. ward new album released this July

She and Him’s new album is a tribute to legendary songwriter Brian Wilson and will be out later this summer.

Zooey Deschanel and M. Ward have recorded a new album

Zooey Deschanel and M. Ward’s new record, titled ‘Brian Wilson. Melt Away: A Tribute to Brian Wilson’, features 14 cover songs infused with their own distinctive style.

The musical duo – who have previously worked with Brian – said: “In the spring of 2020, we started a list of our favourite Brian songs – a very long list.

“We chose songs without any regard to their chart performance. The obscure ones hit us just as hard as the more popular songs – and all are ripe for re-imagining, re-interpreting, and re-inventing.

“Brian writes songs of beauty and loneliness and vulnerability better than anyone – and by sequencing them next to popular songs of confidence and love and fun, it creates a more complete picture of life on earth.”

Zooey said “These were songs we both know very well and love very much, and something we’ve always connected on was loving Brian Wilson. Being from Southern California, I think it’s part of the landscape. But we’d never recorded a record remotely like this one; we were sending stuff back and forth, and it was a fun and interesting process”.

The new album is the band’s first record since their 2016 release ‘Christmas Party’.

Brian, 79 – who is widely recognised as one of the most significant songwriters of his generation – is a big fan of She and Him’s new album.

The acclaimed musician described the harmonies as “beautiful” and admitted to loving the new record.

He said: “Zooey and Matt did such mind-blowing versions of our songs. The harmonies are beautiful and right on. I love this record!”

Ward added: “We each picked about a dozen of our favorite Brian Wilson songs that we thought we could try reimagining. And that eventually got whittled down to what made it to the record. This album easily could have been two or three volumes. There’s so much of his catalogue to be inspired by”.

Zooey and Matt have already filmed a QVC-inspired video for ‘Darlin’, the first single off the album. In the Lara Jean Gallagher-directed video, the duo are seen trading lead vocals while they try to sell nail polish.

‘Melt Away’ track listing:

1. Darlin’

2. Wouldn’t It Be Nice

3. Til I Die

4. Deirdre

5. Melt Away

6. Good To My Baby

7. Don’t Talk (Put Your Head On My Shoulder)

8. Don’t Worry Baby

9. This Whole World

10. Kiss Me, Baby

11. Do It Again ft. Brian Wilson

12. Heads You Win, Tails I Lose

13. Please Let Me Wonder

14. Meant For You