A Very She & Him Christmas

She & Him | Format: MP3 Music

Product Details

• Original Release Date: October 24, 2011
• Label: Merge Records
• Copyright: 2011 Merge Records
• Total Length: 32:02
• Genres:
  • Alternative Rock > Indie & Lo-Fi
  • Rock
• ASIN: B005V4FJC4
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (270 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,219 Paid in MP3 Albums (See Top 100 Paid in MP3 Albums)
  • #11 in MP3 Downloads > MP3 Albums > Alternative Rock > Indie & Lo-Fi

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

207 of 219 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars New Christmas Standards? October 25, 2011

By Tate TOP 500 REVIEWERVINE™ VOICE

Format:Audio CD

Zooey Deschanel is quite the charmer. Her acting is adorable and her voice is silk. So how does this new Christmas album from She & Him rate in the endless potpourri of holiday staples? Well, overall, I'd have to say that some of these renditions may very well knock those 1950's classics off their throne. Not every song is classic, but those that are REALLY are. Here's my rundown:

THE UNDENIABLY BRILLIANT:
- The Christmas Waltz. I've never been a huge fan of this song, but She & Him nailed it absolutely perfectly. Zooey's voice has never sounded better, the production is subtle but enhancing. I love love love this song. Will be playing it all Christmas '11 and probably forever after that.

- Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas. I love how they made this classic even slower and more romantic. It's an amazing mixture beautiful, relaxing, and extremely sexy.

- Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree. A simple kick-snare beat and lush guitar mixes flawlessly with Zooey's voice to provide a live-like effect. It sounds like she's performing right in your living room!

- The Christmas Song. There's a lot of tough competition out there with this song, but She & Him's version is up there with the best.

THE LOVELY:
- I'll Be Home for Christmas. Like "Have Yourself..." the tempo is slowed down a bit for this one too. It doesn't translate quite as well, but still a stunning rendition.

- Christmas Wish. We get to hear more of "Him" on this track, and though he's no Zooey, it provides gorgeous contrast to the rest of the album and is a lovely merry relaxer.

- Sleigh Ride. Unexpectedly mellow for this usually upbeat number, but still works well....

- Christmas Day

- Blue Christmas

THE EH:

- Baby It's Cold Outside. The Christmas song Zooey is probably most famous for (from the movie Elf) is actually the worst track on the album IMO. For some reason the tempo is too fast and there is absolutely no chemistry between the singers. It sounds like they're so worried about singing on cue that they completely left out the story behind the song. Many performers have that problem with this song, but I was really disappointed to hear it on this album.

- Silver Bells. Not unlistenable by any means, but compared to pretty much every other version I've heard of this song, it isn't very good.

- Little Saint Nick. Just not a good match for Zooey's voice, IMO.

---

Overall, with only 3 so-so songs and about 9 really good if not great numbers, this is 2011's Christmas album to get. The voice and productions are unique, offering great mellowed-out versions of your holiday favorites in a way that hasn't been done before. I can easily recommend the whole album, but if you just feel like buying a single mp3 or two, obviously The Christmas Waltz is the best track on here. Absolutely timeless. Transformed an okay song into a masterpiece. Read more ›

39 of 48 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent new Christmas Album! October 24, 2011

By Michael Shank

Format:MP3 Music|Amazon Verified Purchase

I have collected Christmas music for years and once upon a time played it throughout the year. But I grew tired of all the predictable commercial releases. There was so little new under the sun that I stopped buying Christmas music. Then I heard the samples for this Amazon special today. I didn't know the group (sorry - love Zooey Deschanel in the movies - had no idea she sang) but loved the samples and thought it might be another $5.00 investment for a couple of decent songs. Wrong! Great album (can we still say album?) - great music. Try it and try not to smile. Beautiful, simple, fun and joyous. Thanks She & Him.

28 of 37 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Christmas whimsy! October 24, 2011

By Woolysheep

Format:Audio CD|Amazon Verified Purchase

I love almost all Christmas music, but this CD is even better than most! I love the nostalgic homey feel that the songs have. It doesn't have all the Christmas songs I would like, but I am just happy She & Him put out a Christmas CD! Merry Christmas!

9 of 11 people found the following review helpful

2.0 out of 5 stars Disappointing December 5, 2011

By Kevin O'Conner

Format:MP3 Music

The retro-style artwork and the fluffy lightness of She & Him would seem to be perfect for an album of Xmas tunes. Unfortunately, the results are hugely disappointing.

The first couple of songs sound pretty good, but things go downhill as the album progresses. "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree" should have a bit of swing, for example--but She & Him's version has none. Everything is tidy and as on the beat as it is possible to get short of employing an army of sequencers. "Baby, It's Cold Outside" is rushed, and there's not even a hint of chemistry between the two--which is particularly bad, given that Zooey is an actress. And the 1950s/1960s-style reverb gets very tiring after a while.

This is one of those Xmas albums that will make for *excellent* Xmas party background music, and that's about all.

8 of 10 people found the following review helpful

1.0 out of 5 stars Karaoke quality vocals are the new IN. December 24, 2011

By Pigumon

Format:MP3 Music

The vocal version of nails on a chalkboard.

I guess you can call it whimsical, like a kindergarten musical.
Though the kids tend to at least hit a couple of the notes right.

The music is great, the selections are great, even her style of singing is ok.. kind of a sleepytime/drug-induced/half-hearted style,
it's just that she sings so flat, it ruins the whole thing.

What can I say? Listen to the samples, if you like it, buy it.
Though I'd hope you support better singers.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful

1.0 out of 5 stars Love her voice, hate the album November 26, 2012

By M. Collins

Format:MP3 Music|Amazon Verified Purchase

This must be the most disappointing Christmas album ever. Two really gifted vocalists, a great selection of songs, and just about THE WORST interpretation and arrangement of said songs I could imagine. How do you make "Silver Bells' grim? How do you take all the swing out of "Blue Christmas"? After Zoe's gorgeous, simple few phrases of "Baby, It's Cold Outside" in the movie Elf, I was really excited to hear her do the whole song; but it's a weird draggy interpretation with no joy in it whatsoever.

9 of 12 people found the following review helpful

1.0 out of 5 stars Christmas in a K-Hole? Really??!! December 18, 2011

By beantown film fan

Format:Audio CD

I was really looking forward to this album. I really like Zooey's voice, and the review in the Rolling Stone was so positive... Unfortunately, once I got it home and put it on, I thought at first that something had gone wrong with my stereo. It sounded so muddy, downbeat, slow, and thick, infested with off-pitch notes. But I checked the stereo, and it was fine.

The album appears to have been deliberately recorded this way. I thought I was going to slit my wrists and we finally had to turn it off. It's a shame, because the arrangement were very thoughtful, and I liked the ukelele and the mandolin very much. But everyone, both singers and musicians, seemed to be constantly drifting off pitch, through each song, over and over. The end result swings wildly between depressing and incredibly irritating. Perhaps it was a deliberate hipster thing to travel off the correct notes. I know that, for one, Zooey can hit the notes properly -- I've heard her do it.

In any case, do not buy this album unless you are tone-deaf or like atonal christmas music. Personally, I can't think of anything more grating -- atonal christmas music? Really??? We've left Iraq -- I don't want to spend Christmas in a K-hole....