• Relatedly! Ben Gibbard, frontman of Death Cab, reportedly tied the knot with actress/She&Him singer Zooey Deschanel on Saturday night here in Seattle. Now he knows the words were true in his sappiest songs.

Ben Gibbard and Zooey Deschanel: Indie Rock Man and Wife.

• Swine flu has taken another celebrity victim: Marilyn Manson! He wrote on Facebook, “I know everyone will suggest that fucking a pig is how this disease was obtained. However, the doctor said, my past choices in women have, in ‘no way’ contributed to… me acquiring this mysterious sickness.”

• Indie supergroup darlings, Monsters of Folk, appeared on The Tonight Show the other night in flashy formals performing their song “Say Please.” Following is their new video for the song “The Right Place.”

• Seattle native and rock and roll legend Jimi Hendrix recorded enough material in the four years his life that overlapped with Electric Lady Studios that his sister recently said they’d be able to release a decade’s worth of new material.

• Apparently Merge Records is planning on re-releasing both Neutral Milk Hotel LPs on vinyl November 3rd. This might very well be the most exciting NMH-related release we see ever again… there is seemingly no chance we’ll get anything more from reclusive songwriter Jeff Mangum.

• A new movie from Portland writer/director Matt McCormick features The Shins’ James Mercer and Sleater-Kinney’s Carrie Brownstein. It’s very Portland-y. Did we mention it was made in Portland? Check out the trailer below!

photo by Christopher Nelson

Every Monday through Friday, we deliver a different song as part our Song of the Day podcast subscription. This podcast features exclusive KEXP in-studio performances, unreleased songs, and recordings from independent artists that our DJs think you should hear. Today’s featured selection, chosen by Afternoon Show host Kevin Cole, is Why Do You Let Me Stay Here? by She & Him from the 2008 album Volume One on Merge Records.

Even though it’s become trendy for Hollywood starlets to record their own albums (Paris Hilton and Lindsay Lohan bring a groan factor, while Scarlett Johansson’s forthcoming album brings the star factor), She (Zooey Deschanel) & Him (M. Ward) have created a collection of mostly original songs that stand apart from the pack. Deschanel, best known as an actress (Almost Famous & All The Real Girls), began her professional singing career during the filming of Elf (2003). Ward, the Portland-based musician, has released five full albums in less than a decade. Together, they make one of indie rock’s most attractive duos. No stranger to collaboration, M. Ward has worked with Neko Case, Conor Oberst, and Jenny Lewis on past projects. Zooey Deschenal has worked with others previously too, including Ben Lee and Jason Schwartzman (who also co-writes a song on this album), and is also a part of If All The Stars Were Pretty Babies, a cabaret band with fellow actress Samantha Shelton (Judging Amy and Shop Girl), in which she plays the ukulele. Since meeting in 2006, She & Him have recorded an entire album that was released earlier this year with Deschanel as the principal songwriter and Ward as musician and producer. They cite The Carter Family, Linda Ronstadt, and The Ronettes as musical influences, all of whom can definitely be heard in the album’s sparse arrangements and beautiful harmonies. The lyrics (as evidenced on this track) are simple, wholesome, and have just enough cheek and depth to be interesting. She & Him will be playing a few (mostly sold out) dates in April and May. Check their Myspace page for more information. If they’re not going to be in your town, you’ll be able to watch them late night… that is, on Late Night with Conan O’Brien on Tuesday, April 22, and on The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson on Monday, April 28. Consult your local listings.

You can view more of Christopher Nelson’s photos of the KEXP in-studio with Ward and Deschanel from June 29, 2006, here.