Album Review: Tennis – “Swimmer”
Anything homemade is arguably better, simply because of the love and labor that goes into production. This home style passion of husband and wife duo, Tennis, is evident in their upcoming album, Swimmer. Although the severity of their life experiences may have left them feeling like they were drowning, they developed an album to signify their strength and heart serving as the fulcrum.
For the couple, songwriting has always been a shared outlet. Producing an album was a natural coping mechanism to document a time in their lives. As the Denver group’s fifth album, Swimmer, adheres to their hazy and relaxed style interrupted by funky, distorted notes. They produced this album in the comfort of their home, making it all the more intimate.
While the overall theme of the album is light-hearted, they don’t shy away from stamping honesty into the lyrics. One of the earlier tracks, “Need Your Love”, reflects the compromising that can occur when one finds themselves at the depths of a relationship—the kind of compromise where the benefits of staying or leaving are anything but clear. The lyric, “Leveled in a burning heat,” in the song “Runner” really exemplifies the hardships a couple can find themselves in when another’s heartstrings are being tugged in a different direction. One of the parties is needed at a capacity that feels as if it’s robbing the other party of their partner. Emotional resources between the two become frayed and difficult to access, the perfect kindling for unproductive fights. Yet, the connection of love and caring for one another umbrellas over the situation, making the fight to stay together more dominant than the bickering.
The closing song, “Matrimony”, stands as tribute to the principles of marriage and its sweetness. For even in the darkest hour, your partner is to be there to support you through any challenge—whether sick or healthy. Placing this song at the very end of the album seems to be built by design in that their marriage delivered perseverance throughout their tribulations.
Swimmer will be released on Valentine’s Day 2020. A week later, their Swimmer tour begins in Kansas City, MO, with Molly Burch riding alongside. You can catch them at the Wonder Ballroom on April 1st. An album that is its own current, Swimmer serves as a reminder to shift focus on the light even in murky waters.
