Artist: Tennis
Album: Swimmer
Genre: #Pop, #Indie
Sub Genre: #Alternative, #BedroomPop
Label: Fat Possum Records
Non-Arable Tracks: N/A
Description:
“Swimmer” is the much anticipated fifth studio album by the husband and wife duo entitled Tennis. Being as they are Colorado natives this new record encapsulates the airy like dreamscape that is depicted in the high mountains of the Rockies while dissecting themes of love, resilience, and forgiveness. Each track off the record surrounds the listener in crisp vocals in which the lyrics are able to be understood and felt since the songs are accompanied by extremely intentional sounding beats that will oftentimes showcase background vocals that hold hidden messages on the song’s true meaning which can be heard in the song “Need Your Love.”
With the central theme of the album being marriage the sixth track of the record “Swimmer” which is also the album’s title, offers a different tone than the rest of the album considering the tempo is considerably slower and overall mood much more melancholy as compared tp tracks such as “Tender as a Tomb” and “Runner.” When listening to “Swimmer” she has the sensation of being drowned in the internal conflict of the singer as notes of dissonance and mood of contemplation sweep over the ear. The song makes many metaphors to a beach-like environment in which the singer is seemingly having the choice to drown or stay in the sand when faced with whether or not she entered the throngs of love. This picturesque landscape is also found in the album’s cover since it showcases Tennis cast in layers of shadows in what appears to be a beach with the sun setting or rising in the background.
Overall “Swimmer” is truly a timeless record seeing as it tugs on a theme which are relatable and transferable to all time periods and stages in a person’s life. In addition, the overall sounds of the record are reminiscent of story songs which were extremely popular in the 1970s yet each track can stand on their own as a modern interpretation of what its like to be married in the changing climate of the world.
Sounds Like: Wild Nothing Real Estate, Beach House
Recommended Tracks: Swimmer, Need Your Love
Reviewer’s Name: Peyton Riegel
Date of Review: February 24, 2020