[rating=7.00]
Anyone for Tennis? That’s the obvious question here, as well as the name accorded the Denver-based duo consisting of Patrick Riley and Alaina Moore. While these two music makers identify themselves with a sport mostly associated with fuzzy balls, Wimbledon stadium and superstar sisters Venus and Serena Williams, it’s also apparent that they’re adept at created a slightly luminous sound that blends mellow musings with an obvious penchant for pop. Four albums on, the pair have been accorded all kinds of kudos and placement at the top of the charts, accompanied by the visibility that comes with late night TV and other high profile placements. Little wonder then, that Tennis continue to volley about with the best of them.
The duo’s new album, cheekily entitled Yours Conditionally, unfolds as a giddy, bucolic series of affecting melodies effortlessly expressed with the occasional nod to radio-ready appeal. The song titles are both obvious and expressive as far as the sentiments are concerned — “My Emotions Are Blinding,” “Please Don’t Ruin This For Me” and “In the Morning I’ll Be Better,” among them — leaving no doubt as to where their desires lie. And with melodies that bring to mind an unlikely blend of Belle and Sebastian, the Smiths and the Cocteau Twins, Tennis can clearly stake a claim to ably representing today’s more tepid tunesmiths. Still, the hint of soul purveyed through such songs as “In the Morning I’ll Be Better,” “Ladies Don’t Play Guitar” and “Island Music” suggest that for all their angst, there’s also an element of enthusiasm that simply won’t be stifled.
In the end, Tennis temper their approach with a quiet reserve that might frustrate those looking for some sort of instant accessibility. Their silken hooks aren’t necessarily apparent on the very first hearing. Regardless, the appeal becomes increasingly evident with continuing time spent. The ultimate result is a sound that’s lovely, yet in a lethargic in a lovely sort of way.
