They have been an indie sensation for a while. But what made them even more indie “cool” was the promo video Bank Heist shot for the film, 500 Days of Summer starring doe-eyed hipster Zooey Deschanel and Joseph Gordon Levitt. The song, Why Do You Let Me Stay Here?, was a runaway hit and as the film achieved cult status in the romcom circuit across the world, the band She & Him became a bigger hit.
Describing the feels of their music, the band's About section on the Facebook page says, “She & Him make music for an eternal springtime, when the temperature is warm enough to go riding with the top (or at least the windows) rolled down and the radio turned up. They occupy an alternate universe where the saddest of songs feel as warm as sun showers; the rain may be coming down, but somewhere nearby, everything looks bright. What began as a fascinating, no-strings attached collaboration on 2008’s Volume One has evolved into a bona fide, touring band, and She & Him are here to stay.”
Ward writes on the page, “We instinctually landed on this process while making Volume One, that Zooey would write and I would produce and arrange. It’s been the most natural extension of our interests and abilities,” and Zooey adds, “I think we both went for it a little bit more, so to speak. I definitely got more ambitious with my backing vocal arrangements. That’s a real passion for me.” On their influence, Zooey says, “I would say all my influences are older, more classic songwriters, from Cole Porter and Gershwin to Carole King and Roy Orbison and Bobbie Gentry. People always expect you to be a fan of what’s happening now, but the things I gravitate toward are older and more worn.”