"Young & Old" by Tennis

"We could be good but we don't live the way that we should, constantly told we're imperfect and cannot be good."

It is a strong and compelling statement that cuts to the quick. How could I not relate?  This lyrical candor appeals to every cathartic bone in my body as I am an avid lover of songs that grab on to my emotional fibers. Yet, all week I struggled through this album. With frustration I tried and tried to connect with the music. It is catchy, the lyrics are well versed and there is an inherent likability to all of the songs but I couldn't get beyond the discrepancy between the songs' lyrical messages and the way they sounded. Unfortunately most of the songs sound too happy for the depth of their lyrics. I crave the cathartic release of Sad songs. Intense songs. Angry songs. Romantic songs. It's over-all pleasantness doesn't hit home for me right now. Yet neither can I cast it off. It made an impression on me, scattered, unfocused and distracted as my listening may have been. The album stands on poetry and rhythm even when the two fail to meet.

Denver based husband and wife duo Alaina Moore and Patrick Riley became Tennis with the release of their first album Cape Dory in 2011. Young & Old, their second album, debuted earlier this year. Preliminary listens to Cape Dory reveal it to be a travelogue featuring lo-fi beach pop sounds, comprised of songs the couple wrote together whilst honeymooning on a boat trip. Tennis has an unusual, nearly retro sound that fuses soulful jazz, do-wop and classic pop with relative ease.

My biggest grievance with the album, is its lack of musical variety. The songs are tune-ful, upbeat and easy to listen to, but as an album their relative sameness is a point of weakness. However, despite their lack of multiplicity the songs are well executed. Had they lacked charm and quality this album would likely have been cast off as a gimicky "sophomore effort." They do not apologize for their winsome charm but harness it to create music in its own niche.

The soft, vulnerable honesty in Moore's voice is soothing. As I listened this week, I found myself wishing for her, what I, as a singer, wish for myself. Namely, that she find more "ugly" in her sound. "If she intoned her sound with a little raw grit it would amp up the dramatic intensity!" The pairing of her ultra feminine sound seems an odd choice for these songs. Yet, who am I to fault her for owning her own, pretty vibrations? She is a light soprano, like myself, and is utilizing her voice in a way that is most natural for her. Perhaps if we want a gritty vocals we best look elsewhere.

Favorite Tracks...

"It all feels the same," the album's first track, is a subtle opener. The repeated guitar progression underscores the first half of the song accented by a single tamborine. It grows in breadth at its midpoint with the rousing addition of a pop drumbeat. The repetition of both musical and lyrical themes emphasizes the existential crisis of finding that "everywhere I go it's all the same" and reconciling that "we could be good but we don't live the way that we should."  At first there seems to be little grit in the song, but when it picks up in tempo and voracity it successfully delves deeper into the lyrics' meaning. It reminds me of how trapped we are by our vices and flaws. You may seek solace and intervention from relationships, but it will always feel like the same old shit unless you enact change in yourself. As for me, I will always be insecure in relationships if I do not solidify my ego. I will live with the perception that I fall short. I will continue to seek validation in others and come up empty handed. I will allow myself to be misused and blame myself for feeling hurt. I will live with the frustration that no one understands me. That's a lot for a song that is ironically exuberant.

I spent a major part of my week wracking my brain to figure our what song "It all feels the same" reminded me of. At first I thought it was an Adele song, but after sifting through a few playlists I knew that wasn't right. I finally realized that it uses the same key, chord progression and rhythmic patter as "Dog days are over" by Florence and the Machine. It is extremely satisfying to accurately spot that sort of thing in songs. It reminds me that all music is related and that I can trust my ears. This realization is exactly the sort of thing that makes for good mash-ups.

"My Better Self" stands alone as beautiful poetry. The words dance through the music and is the strongest lyrical and musical pairing on the album. It has such wonderful and complex images. I'm still deciphering some of the references. To me it speaks of a desire to understand all that surrounds us. We all have wisdom, but we often fail to comprehend meaning. We use symbols and words to express ourselves, actions too, but how often do we find clarity? Moore's supple voice repeats "My better self still knows that meaning comes and goes, what is it made? I do not know, but meaning comes and goes" Perhaps the ultimate wisdom is accepting that we will not always find meaning. Just as meaning comes and goes, so too do feelings and values. Life is fluid, constantly evolving. We more often than not, fail to express ourselves accurately with words. "Despite the effort I have planned, you seem to have lost what i've meant." My "better self" would be wise to accept the symptomatic meaninglessness that comes and goes throughout our lives as well as our capacity for misunderstanding each other.


Concluding thoughts.
I wanted very badly to love this album as a whole, but the truth is, for the reasons I mentioned, much of its meaning and intended impact was lost on me. Individual tracks spoke to me and their merit is evident. I will likely include these tracks on a summer playlist. As for the rest, it is pleasant filler. Well executed but without weight.

(Week 2 album suggestion come from friend Jason Saini, via the absolute wonder machine that is Spotify.)