Tennis: Young and Old

     The indie world is cascading with male/female duos creating simple pop LPs.  Tennis, a husband and wife pair based out of Denver, share the same aesthetic as the flocks of other indie acts, but has been known to add a carefree, less gloomy sound to liven up their listeners.  In February, they released their awaited sophomore album, Young and Old.
     It is ironic that this album was released on Valentines Day, as this album's contents is significantly heavier than their debut, which dealt with themes such as bird watching on the high sees.  On Young and Old, the couple grow up, and discuss some of the typical issues that married couple deal with; things such as finding flaws in your once perfect lover, and youthful adventures slowly replacing mundane routine.  This is not necessarily a bad thing, however, as the lyrics are not complaining about their life, merely citing the state of their relationship.  They are still happy together, just a little older, and not as exciting.  This inevitable circumstance will certainly resonate with Tennis' older, more mature fanbase.
     Musically, Young and Old is a little heavier as well.  The sprightly pop is still their, so fans of their debut will not be shocked, but their is certainly more maturity and brawn to their bubblegum base.  Young and Old was produced by now revered Black Keys drummer, Patrick Carney, and his influence is clearly heard throughout the album.  Under Carney's ear, their are many more elements of traditional rock and roll, as the album has instances of jangly keys and guitar riffs.  The beach pop skeleton is certainly there, but it is underneath a thin skin of rock fuzz.
     Tennis has the makings for indie stardom, and this album has the potential to lead to even more critical acclaim.  The Denver duo have shown that they are not afraid to grow up and tackle benign, but pensive subjects.  They are also not afraid to tweak their successful sound for experimentation. Through their increasing maturity and dare, Tennis is showing that great indie pop does exist in the mountains.