With electronica blowing up over the last few years into mainstream and indie music, many artists have foregone the earthy acoustic instruments of their roots. M. Ward certainly hasn’t, and his project with Zooey Deschanel, She & Him, showcases raw instrumentation as well as Ms. Deschanel’s beautiful voice and songwriting. Volume One has a 1960s, slightly-county feel, mainly due to the songstress’s twangy voice, but also because of the arrangements. The Wall of Sound is alluded to in some of these tunes (e.g. This is Not A Test) and all give a positive, homey feel.

Matt Costa is also back with his Unfamiliar Faces, a brilliant follow up to his previous Songs We Sing. Costa’s songwriting is sophisticated musically and original if not poetic lyrically. Cass McCombs and Rogue Wave complete this edition of Your Ear Bone.

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