Face Down In The Garden＜Cobalt Blue Vinyl＞

By the time of 2025s Face Down in the Garden, Tennis had been on a 15-year journey that saw them taking multiple approaches to their brand of sophisticated, swooning adult pop. This time around, they set the controls for the midtempo heart, surrounding Alaina Moores always lovely vocals with silky-smooth textures redolent of the smoky, late-night side of the 70s, but also modern enough to stick close to the mainstream. To that end, one could hear either Karen Carpenter or Selena Gomez singing "The Weight of Desire," and it would totally make sense. Moore and Patrick Riley have always straddled that kind of line, but in the past when they leaned more towards now-ness, they stumbled a little. This time, they totally nail it, and the sonic updates fit the classic nature of the songs and voices much better. To go with that, almost every song is choking with emotion so thick and real that its almost hard to absorb. A chief example is "At the Wedding," which pairs a tender melody, ripped-from-reality lyrics, and sensitive piano chords with the kind of vocal that slips between the ribs like a sharp knife, upsetting the inner elements without mercy. Moore has always performed this kind of surgery, knowing that a small incision can cause as much pain as an overbearing blast of vocal prowess. Many more examples -- like the quietly, stunningly dramatic "12 Blown Tires" -- populate the album as Moore and Riley spare no melancholy expense and envelop the listener in a great, soft cloud of sadness and ennui. The very brief "I Can Only Describe You" is the only track that cracks the window just a bit, adding some uptempo to the mix along with a shimmering guitar solo. Even that track is underpinned by washes of wispy synths, so it doesnt break the spell much. Tennis have always sought to establish a vibe with their music, something both painfully intimate and dreamily nostalgic. On Face Down in the Garden, they have reached peak vibe, and if it is their last album, as they have said, they exit at the top of their very specific, very Tennis game. ~ Tim Sendra