Tennis release new album "Pollen"
Don’t forget your allergy pill! Husband and wife duo, Alaina Moore and Patrick Riley, otherwise known as Tennis, have released their sixth album, Pollen.
The album, comprising ten songs and coming in at around 35 minutes, can best be described as warm and inviting. Similar to the coming spring, Tennis utilizes an upbeat rhythm and the occasional distortion to create the feeling of coming to life after a long winter. Opening the album with Forbidden Doors, the duo seems to reflect on their past. Stating, “I know that it’s over, but it took me forever. So consumed I could never understand it.” The theme of looking back on your past while fighting to move forward is ever present throughout the first half of Pollen.
An intricate pattern of juxtaposing bright melodies with heavy lyrics carries the majority of the album. Both Glorietta and Let’s Make a Mistake Tonight contain a rebellious and almost reckless undercurrent. Lyrics such as, “You can’t resist the urge to dominate, like it’s in your DNA,” and, “Drive west til there’s nothing left, we’re gonna find something better,” highlight their desire to move forward, to search for more. With an 80s inspired sound, listeners can’t help but feel as though they’ve been transported back in time, watching a couple look towards the future while they themselves are stuck in the past.
The indie pop duo truly hit their stride in the middle of the album with Pollen Song. The title track of the album, Pollen Song encapsulates Pollen’s warmth and sense of yearning. With lyrics like, “Everything moves too fast, oh, I don't know when my body became so fragile. Even a spring rain is too much to handle, and it feels like it's just the pollen,” Tennis shows off their writing chops and ability to weave thoughtful lyrics into their synth-heavy beats.
In the second half of the album, Tennis wraps up Moore and Riley’s search for the future. Tracks like Paper, Gibraltar and Never Been Wrong, all carry a sense of finality. In Gibraltar, the lyrics, “I remember nothing, I could leave everything, you and I can take our time,” are a stark contrast to the lack of understanding and emotional turmoil described in the beginning of the album. The haunting harmonies that close out, Never Been Wrong, leave the listener with the feeling of reaching their destination. The better future they’ve been searching for has been found.
Pollen closes with Pillow for a Cloud. The final song highlights the duo’s dread of passing time and desire to live in the moment. A quick turnaround from their previous wishes to escape and look to the future, they now feel comfortable and content. Moore sings, “Time passing used to thrill me, now it only terrorizes me.” An ethereal guitar and progressive percussion accompanies the song creating an atmosphere similar to the closing credits of a movie. With the closing lyrics, “Got a pillow for a cloud, never coming down,” Tennis ends the album and their search for more.
The album’s dreamy sounds and introspective lyrics take listeners on an inviting journey through the couple’s world. The perfect companion to an early spring day, Pollen carries audiences through the winter cold and into a warm, sunny spring.