Tennis releases full album

There seemed to be a bit of hype regarding the Fat Possum signed duo Tennis over the course of 2010. They had only released an EP’s worth of songs then but the music magazines never ceased to stop discussing the girl/guy (and married) duo, Patrick Riley and Alaina Moore. It seems that over the course of 2010, there has been a slow shift of attention in the indie-pop world, from indie-electronic to indie-surf pop. Bands such as Best Coast, Cults and Surfer Blood have had their fair share of reviews over the last year. I believe the reason for this stems from the world of the indie musician, where in trying to produce “fresh” material, they feel a strong need to go back to lo-fi; back to musicianship in its form of fuzz guitars and basement drums as oppose to the over dependence on samplers, kaoss-pads and the like. Cape Dory might not be everyones preferred cup of tea, but it is nonetheless a simple herbal tea blend that will go down quite easily. To those with the electro-beat bias, this could be a nice change. Cape Dory is good in that it has a consistency to the following mood; which is a resultant of the creative process the duo embarked on, in sailing along the eastern seaboard on a seven month boat trip. Listen to track 4, Marathon and you may feel a brief relief from the computer, your cell phone, and if you’re a New Yorker or city body—the concrete. The music is simple, and the DIY lifestyle that comes from sailing for months on end on your own is reflected in the albums’ final outcome. They produced and mastered this record on their own. So musicians who feel they have to conform to an “industry standard” or mass consumer trend, may feel comforted, and here’s why. Judging by the outcome of Tennis’ upcoming tour and sold out status of many of the venues, they seem to have done the right thing for themselves. Cape Dory was released yesterday, Jan 18. And I have a feeling we may hear a lot more of this band as we go into 2011.