REVIEW: Tennis // Cape Dory

Tennis is a duo made up of a husband and wife; Patrick Riley and Alaina Moore, respectively. From what I have gathered, the songs of Cape Dory were inspired by the seven months the couple spent sailing after graduating college. The spirit of Cape Dory is just as flattering as the notion and story of how the album was created. However, this album isn't as fascinating as I hoped for. That is not to say that I didn't like this record. I did, it just didn't go anywhere, which I will admit, isn't a very valid criticism.

Cape Dory is like watching an above average comedy that is constantly replayed on cable. You have seen it before or have seen other movies just like it. However, most of the time, when you having nothing better to do, which I can honestly say is most of my life, you will turn it on and actually watch the whole thing. Similar to chuckling at one of these comedies, Cape Dory will have you humming along. You may even find yourself singing along to the pleasant melodies of songs like, "Marathon," "Take Me Somewhere," and "South Carolina," just like you will occasionally laugh out loud watching one of those dumb comedies, but by the end there isn't much there. God, I know I sound like a prick saying that because obviously not everything needs to have some deeper meaning, but I am just saying that one shouldn't listen to this record and expect a deeper meaning. Cape Dory is just a fun and enjoyable listen, but that's about it.

One of the my gripes with this album is that it tries a bit to hard to sound like "50's lo-fi." This reminds me of how a mediocre comedy might try to get overly sentimental and just horribly fail at it. Most of my favorite records of all time or even of the past year I love because they expand on one solid concept/sound/timbre. This is a record that could have done that, but instead it kinda just sits on the same "note" the whole time. Luckily, this album is not long enough for me to get tired of this "note."

For what Cape Dory is, it's a good record. It just doesn't go in the directions I wanted it to. I would certainly give this record a listen, but don't expect anything more than just a fun retro style album.

RATING: 76/100

-- Greg  


Tennis -- "Marathon"


Tennis -- "South Carolina"