The public is extra critical when a singer wants to act or an actor wants to sing. Such crossovers are often met with more analysis than most politicians will see in a lifetime. But with her decision to reveal a hoard of demos she recorded by herself to singer, guitarist and master collaborator M. Ward, actress Zooey Deschanel decided to jump into shark-infested waters. Not only has she survived with nary a bite mark on her, but the result has succeeded in lulling would-be attackers. It’s hard not to like She&Him, the name Deschanel and Ward record and tour under.
With perfectly subdued pop influence, She&Him create a sound combining Ward’s unique arrangements with Deschanel’s harmonies, capturing the nostalgia of pedal steel and early country with the charming predictability of mid-century pop like The Ronettes. Most of the tracks are written by Deschanel, with the exceptions of a wistful version of the much-covered Miracles’ hit “You really Got a Hold on Me,” The Beatles’ “I Should Have Known Better,” and the traditional “Swing Low, Sweet Chariot.” Looking a little like June Carter and Johnny Cash (Deschanel’s long, brown hair, blue eyes and affinity for vintage frocks and Ward’s dark, shiny guitar only bolster this comparison), Ward and Deschanel met on the set of The Go-Getter when director Martin Hynes asked them to sing a duet for the end credits. Their album, Volume One, debuted in March to critical acclaim.
July 24, 8 p.m., $20, The Academy of Music, 274 Main St., Northampton, (800) 595-4TIX, www.academyofmusictheatre.com.