His & Her Vanities

The Wisconsin quartet His & Her Vanities produces robotic, quirky, and very cute music whose endearing character fuses the tongue-in-cheek preciseness of vintage Devo with the bouncy naivete of indie rock. Formed in Madison, the group began as a project by Ricky and Terrin Riemer amid the cold months of late 1999. Initially a duo, the pair expanded the lineup by recruiting drummer Sara Winkelman early the next spring. After regional shows, they headed to Chicago for the first Ladyfest Midwest, then paused to re-record several tracks. Emerging from the studio, they issued their eponymous debut in summer 2002. Returning to the live circuit over the following months, the band welcomed guitarist and friend Matt Abplanalp while commencing early writing for the next record.