Vim
noun
energy; enthusiasm.
“in his youth he was full of vim and vigor”
I think it’s very smart when a band tells you what they sound like by their name alone. Granted, I had to Google what “vim” meant first, but hey – I learned a new word today. My vocabulary is expandi… wait, my vocabulary is aggrandizing.
When I was a kid, my first band (which consisted of me on my bed with a Squier Strat, and a couple Nirvana cds) was called Apocalypse. And maybe I had it right too, because I guarantee it sounded like the world was ending from the other room.
And even today – with all of the nonsense in the media – it might feel like the world is ending. But then you hear a band like The Vims and you can’t help but feel optimistic.
My first thought was that they have that Cincinnati sound I hear emerging. A very polished Indie Pop sound that was arguably spearheaded by Walk The Moon. It’s an exciting time for this city’s music scene because there are a tremendous amount of talented musicians cropping up, and The Vims are a great example of this.
A Case Of The Vims is a solid local pop album. The production is on point. The guitar tones are sweet and dialed in. The rhythm section is tight as a whip. The singer’s voice is sultry and pleasant. Nobody could listen to The Vims and say they’re not a good band.
I don’t really have any criticism of what I’m hearing – it’s all very professional and well done. But, if I could, I would like to pretend I’m joining the band for a moment.
Let’s take the song “Little Plastic Hands” into consideration. First off, this song rocks. The chorus is a hook and a half. But if I were to redo it – or better yet, to write another song in this vein (which I think The Vims should do, it suits them well) there is something I would try to do differently.
We’ll start with the chorus again. The vocal melody is simple. It has quick bursts of just a few notes. You could take that melody and play it on a toy keyboard, and it would be identifiable. Like a nursery rhyme.
However, the melody in the verse has a lot more going on. The meter is complex. There are more lyrics. It even seems like – from a songwriter perspective – there is a verse A and a verse B. Or maybe it’s a verse, and a pre-chorus. However you categorize it, there’s two distinct melody lines happening before the chorus. I would experiment with trying to make the meter and melody of the chorus reflect in the verse.
In other words, maybe boil down the lyrics, and make the verse melody a bit more concise so that it also could be played simply in nursery rhyme form.
I’m not saying “Little Plastic Hands” should change, because it shouldn’t. It works. It’s a catchy song. But I’m saying, if I were in your band, I’d be like “Hey we should write a song like ‘Little Plastic Hands’ but with a simpler verse.” And I think with that sort of restraint The Vims would consistently churn out pop gold.
Overall, The Vims’ A Case Of The Vims is fun and optimistic. It’s.. well, energetic and enthusiastic as the definition implies. Their sound is modern with a slight throwback. I hear The Arctic Monkeys, Walk The Moon, and a little The Strokes – but I also get hints of The Police when they do the reggae-swing and some 80’s chart-topper I can’t quite put my finger on. Maybe Rick Springfield?
The quick of it: The Vims’ A Case Of The Vims is a strong local Indie Pop album. After listening, I felt unusually enthusiastic and energetic – so naturally I called my doctor. He said, “don’t worry, you just got yourself a case of the vims.” I’m just kidding, I can’t afford health insurance but that’s a different blog.
AltCINCY 