His and Her Vanities
a thought process
(Science of Sound)
Perpetually at the top of Madison's list of cutest couples, Ricky and Terrin Riemer have been creating energetic, original indie-punk since 1999 with their brainchild, His & Her Vanities. Most reviewers make the same set of comparisons when describing the band, but such comparisons to Devo and the Pixies often prove unfruitful, as H&HV take pains to add small sonic flourishes to each composition, thereby maintaining their integrity and originality. Their second release, a thought process, is a continuation of the herky-jerky and fun pop craft of their self-titled debut.
On the strength of a solid bass line and percussive beat, \Into the Wall"" deconstructs itself the same way as Modest Mouse's ""Tiny Cities Made of Ashes."" ""Notapartablurb,"" one of the album's strongest songs, starts as a math-savvy call and response with Ricky Riemer creepily stating ""Is it all in your head / And you can't explain it""-meanwhile, Terrin Riemer sweetly sings the first line with an-A-in-algebra-like precision. High pitched, dissonant guitars via Ricky Riemer squeal like sirens as if to say ""This is New York, baby,"" but then in trademark fashion everything stops on a dime, only to re-emerge with one more round of chorus. Drummer Sara Winkelman deserves credit, on ""Trum Tracks"" and ""Hot Hair Tuesday"" especially, for her straight-forward tom-, hi-hat- and kick-heavy playing which gives H&HV an ounce more of their punk rock credibility.
Clocking in at just over 30 minutes, a thought process gives the listener an adequate window for understanding all of the elements that sum to equal H&HV. The band, equally as innovative as some of today's best, might be destined for greatness if it weren't for the insularness of the scene that of Madison, Wis.
