Ritual In Repeat

Ritual In Repeat

The sheer joy in the super-catchy pop grooves of “Never Work for Free” is reason enough to check out what Tennis are doing on their third full-length album, Ritual in Repeat. The Denver-based husband-and-wife duo of Alaina Moore and Patrick Riley know exactly how to style-surf without sounding like mere dilettantes. No, these pop thrill-seekers live for Fleetwood Mac–style harmonies, ‘80s synth-pop hooks, nuanced keyboard chords, and driving (but never heavyhanded) rhythms. “Needle and a Knife” throws a synth line second to none, while “I’m Callin’” balances between the lightness of ‘80s pop and the subtle rainy-day textures that creep in. “Bad Girls” sounds like Autoamerican-era Blondie with a touch of pout. “Timothy” and “Wounded Heart” slow for reflective ballads. Everything comes with hooks, for it don’t mean a thing if you can’t remember the damn thing. Tennis seem incapable of writing songs without them.

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