L.A. Times - Entertainment — Over the course of two albums California natives M. Ward and Zooey Deschanel have gradually brought a sunny, decidedly West Coast-feel to delicately symphonic retro-pop tunes. ... more info

L.A. Times - Pop & Hiss — She & Him's "Volume Two" was only released four months ago, but for being a relatively new album, it's one that feels steeped in nostalgia. The light orchestrations bring a genial upbeat touch to even the most heartbreaking of lyrics,... more info

Pitchfork — Tired Pony is a new supergroup, led by Snow Patrol singer Gary Lightbody and featuring Peter Buck from R.E.M. and Richard Colburn of Belle and Sebastian. If the band's actual lineup didn't have enough starpower already, debut album The Place We Ra... more info

Chicago Tribune — Max ZT, She and Him and Rachid Taha are top shows She and Him : M. Ward and Zooey Deschaenel should provide the perfect soundtrack for a late-spring evening on the lakefront with their... more info

Nialler9 — Taken from the forthcoming True Blood soundtrack which also features M. Ward and others (Vampire alternative soundtracks really are in), comes this new Beck track. Beck – Bad Blood Beck also appears on two tracks from the new Tobacco album (aw... more info

Topix — Among the benefits of touring with M. Ward and Zooey Deschanel? Free hats. Not the one Matt Brown's wearing here -- at home with his cat, Donny -- but a Stetson is on its way from the company after a visit to the store in New York, before She & Him p... more info

Pitchfork — Monsters of Folk photo by Jennifer Tzar MP3:> The Roots: "Dear God 2.0" [ft. Monsters of Folk] "Dear God" was a slow-burning highlight from the self-titled 2009 LP from Monsters of Folk (aka Bright Eyes' Conor Oberst, My Morning Jacket's Jim James, M... more info

Stereogum — Already featured on The Twilight Saga: Eclipse OST, Hansen extends the vampire theme by contributing the fuzzy blues-rocker “Bad Blood” to True Blood’s roots-y second soundtrack. The 14-song collection also includes new material from M. Ward (a... more info

Undercover, Australia — The True Blood phenomena keeps getting bigger as Beck, M. Ward and Lucinda Williams with Elvis Costello and Robbie Robertson of The Band all record songs for the second soundtrack. more info

Pitchfork — Beck, M. Ward and Lucinda Williams with Elvis Costello all contribute brand new vampire sex jams to True Blood: Music From the HBO Original Series Volume II, due May 25 from Elektra. The album also features jams from people like Bob Dylan, the 13th F... more info