Before finding a home on Cape Dory, the track’s demo version lived on Myspace in 2010, tantalizing fans of the new indie-pop upstarts and remaining a fan favorite.Julia Wolf at Union Stage: On “Good Thing We Stayed,” Julia Wolf spends a lot of time reflecting. “Seafarer” is the most exceptional from Cape Dory, with Alaina Moore throwing herself at her seafaring lover with all seeming beautiful until cracks emerge. Cape Dory isn’t painfully nautical, but the sunny backdrop of sailboats and beaches makes for a compelling visual palette against which Tennis display melancholy, anxiety and heartbreak. On “Seafarer,” and throughout their debut record Cape Dory, the duo drew inspiration from ’60s pop to deliver emotionally multidimensional snippets inspired by the yearlong stint the couple spent sailing the eastern seaboard. “Seafarer” (2011)įrom the first moment we met Tennis, their vintage charm was front and center. To celebrate the return of Tennis, we revisited their lustrous discography and itemized 10 favorite songs from their indie-pop canon. Over the years, Tennis has risen to the occasion on jangle, dance pop, rock, blues and more, always offering their own twist on the classics. While the duo does not completely depart from their retro roots or cliche signifiers of wealth, Pollen shows that the band is well aware of music’s expansive territory and that they are excited to expand their sound yet again. On their sixth LP, Pollen, Tennis displays their knack for dance pop, showcasing synths and bass that recall visions of discotheques that look more modern than dated. As novel as their compositions are, they possess an instant familiarity that charms, and even as Tennis has expanded their performances deeper into contemporary rock and pop, their charm has remained as strong as ever. Especially in the early days of Tennis, their sonic palette drew inspiration from prior eras of pop, recontextualizing the sounds of the ’60s especially for 21st-century moods. Tennis has a similar commitment to the aesthetic: the bandmates and life partners each sport a unique, vintage-inspired fashion sense, with Moore often rocking tight, bouncing curls reminiscent of yesteryear’s youth culture. The game of tennis is highly aestheticized, conjuring up images of pristine lawns, country clubs and pastel athleisure. While a name like Tennis may be entirely random, it suits Alaina Moore and Patrick Riley’s indie pop project to a T.

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