“She” is Zooey Deschanel, indie boys’ cute girl crush. “Him” is M. Ward, the geeky, hot guitarist with a bedhead. Together they are “She & Him”, an indie folk band that is both cute and dark, and oddly weird at the same time. If this is your kind of thing, you will love this band. I know I do. In every song, they sound like they wish they were cruising in their Le Car, in the 70s, on their way to Martha’s Vineyard.

Deschanel and Ward first met on the set of the film “The Go-Getter”. The director introduced them to each other and asked them to sing a duet for the end credits of the film. Ward, having heard Deschanel sing previously in the film “Elf”, was surprised to learn that she wrote songs herself, but hadn’t pursued a career in music. Ward heard demo tapes, called her a short time later, and their band She & Him was formed.

Deschanel’s vocals are Carly Simon meets Rita Coolidge meets Linda Ronstadt. Smokey Robinson is definitely an inspiration, as you can tell in some of their songs. Deschanel is that cute, sassy, comical girl that sings, just like in her movies.

Swoon — the second album by Silversun Pickups — comes in many forms, including climatic guitar distortions. Singer-guitarist Brian Aubert’ voice, Nikki Monninger’s bass and Christopher Guanlao’s drums  form this Los Angeles quartet that is boldly retro, with the distress of Nineties alternative rock, particularly the neopsychedelic convulsions of Smashing Pumpkins and the British om-pop band Ride. Pickups’ 2006 debut, Carnavas, was less slavish writing.

The Silversun Pickups know how to create that 90′s emo-grungy mood you sometimes felt in high school, if you are my age.

If you’re a fan pf Phoenix, MGMT, The Shins, and the likes, Vampire Weekend would be another great addition to your preppy, well-read indie rock with joyful, Afro-pop-inspired melodies and rhythms collection.

Describing their sound as “Upper West Side Soweto,” New York City’s Vampire Weekend consisting of Ezra Koenig, Chris Baio, Rostam Batmanglij, and Chris Tomson formed the band early in 2006, when they were finishing up their studies at Columbia University.

Vampire Weekend reached a fame peak in 2007 when the band embarked on their biggest tour yet, and I’m definite we’ll be seeing more of them in the days to come.