MC: Zooey’s voice is equally unadorned. There is an authenticity and a straightforward quality that is very reminiscent of the great singers of earlier eras. Her voice has an innocence that relates back to the sounds of the ‘60s and singers for groups like the Seekers, it is so earnest.
Ward: She’s pretty straightahead. Most of my favorite records you can feel some sort of emotion. More often than not, that’s from hearing the singer clearly, and not drowning them in production tricks or needless guitar solos or string flourishes.
MC: Your own vocals have a Chet Baker intimacy to them on this record.
Ward: Thank you. We love Chet Baker. His version of “It’s Always You” inspired ours. We listened to his incredible chord changes. We are both huge fans––if that comes across in any way on the record, then I think that’s a good thing!
MC: “This Girl’s in Love With You” is an interesting song choice. The original, sung by Herb Alpert, is from a male perspective. Zooey makes it a girl’s song.
Ward: In my opinion it’s a standard with an amazing melody and chord structure. Zooey has a great talent for bringing out different emotional things in the lyrics that other singers don’t or can’t.
MC: Even though the sound of the record is very dense, the arrangements have a lot of air and atmosphere.
Ward: I love the idea of keeping things simple as much as we can in every element of recording, whether it is in production, arrangement or story telling.
MC: It sounds as if Zooey is making certain melodic choices based on the richness of the chords behind the vocals.
Ward: That’s the beauty that music has over literature; you have the ability to influence the audience emotion with these chord changes whether it’s major or minor or adding dissonant or diminished chords. That’s one part of music I really love getting involved in and manipulating to help the story, the song and the emotion.
MC: Jim Keltner is on drums––a legendary L.A. session cat; you also used him on your previous Christmas record, A Very She & Him Christmas. He’s worked with Elvis, Dylan, Neil Young and so many other greats. What does Keltner bring to the session?
Ward: He is a true living legend of drums, such a gracious spirit and an incredible talent. We are so fortunate to work with him again. When you start talking to him you realize how much experience he has in so many different types of music. It definitely comes out in his playing.
MC: We have a guitar geek question: the guitar sounds you chose are melodically in keeping with the era. What were you playing?
Ward: My main guitar is the Gibson Johnny A electric. For acoustic guitars I have a Gibson J-45 and a Hummingbird.
