Saturday at RecordBar: Tennis, with Vacationer
Hoo boy, it was easy to hate that Tennis debut before hearing so much as a note of it. The Denver duo’s buzz-generating backstory – cute couple buy a sailboat; travel up and down the Eastern Seaboard; write songs together; get married; then release an album called, oh my God, Cape Dory – makes me want to move to Montana and start writing my manifesto. But I listened. It’s my job. And the band’s sunny indie pop (lots of plinking pianos and trendy fuzz) was not as grotesquely precious as I’d suspected. Black Keys drummer Patrick Carney produced Tennis’ recently released sophomore album, Young and Old, and he has introduced some vigor and gravity to the twee. The simple, soulful single “Petition” is one of the most likable pop songs I’ve heard in 2012. The band is at RecordBar tomorrow, Saturday, May 12, with Vacationer.
