Tag Archives: the Walkmen
Tennis Anyone?
December 2nd, 2010Tennis – Mercury Lounge – December 1, 2010
With just a solitary 7″ single on Underwater Peoples Records, Tennis has already made a name for itself, headlining last night at Mercury Lounge. But how did two people who met just a short time ago leave everything behind to buy a sailboat and travel for almost a year and then end up here? Maybe it’s the mythology of the husband-and-wife duo Patrick Riley and Alaina Moor venturing out on the open sea and coming back with these songs that got the sold-out crowd’s attention—or more likely it’s that the sound born on that trip is exactly like you’d imagine: equal parts dreamy shoegaze and echo surf pop.
Riley, looking like he’d just stepped off deck, with his bleached-blond hair and polo shirt, cranked the warm, delayed reverb borrowing from the wet-amp settings of Dick Dale. Moor played synth and sang in a fragile vibrato, with an inherent optimism about the journey, from the coves and tides in “Marathon” to the squalls and lees in “South Carolina.” The nearly conceptual album, Cape Dory, which hits stores next month, is inspired by their idiosyncratic nautical observations.
There are clear comparisons to another female-fronted indie band, Beach House, with similar haunting lead vocals and swirling fuzz. But in Tennis’ case, thanks to the couple’s carefree open-ocean lifestyle, the tracks have a decidedly sunny outlook. It’s pure homage to classic oldies radio, and fitting that their debut was pressed as a 45, right in line with the recent pillaging and rediscovery of those ’60s girl groups and that Top 40 sound. Turns out, it was an ill-fated set of near disasters at sea one night that led Riley and Moor to shore for a drink at a seaside bar to hear, of all things, the Ronettes on the jukebox. Little by little, the couple bought back the instruments they had sold for the trip and combined that sound with an epic odyssey. And the rest is barely history. —Jason Dean
Photos courtesy of Diana Wong | dianawongphoto.blogspot.com
(Tennis and School of Seven Bells open for the Walkmen tonight at Terminal 5.)
See the Walkmen and Try to Win Free Tickets
November 30th, 2010Five guys grew up together in Washington, D.C., and, over time, made their way to New York City. Eventually, they left their previous bands, Jonathan Fire*Eater and the Recoys, and started the Walkmen. Ten years—and six albums (the most recent of which, Lisbon, came out this past September)—later, they’re still going strong. How strong? Find out for yourself when the Walkmen (above, doing “Blue as Your Blood” for Chicago’s WXRT FM) play Terminal 5 on Thursday. Want to go but don’t have tickets? Then try to win a couple of them. Fill out the form below, including your full name, e-mail address, which show you’re trying to win tickets to (the Walkmen, 12/2) and a brief message explaining your favorite song off the new disc. The winner will be notified by Thursday.
The Bowery Presents Heads to Austin, Tejas
March 16th, 2010
We’re bringing music to the Crossroads House in conjunction with the IFC, above, plus we’ve got our own showcase on Thursday night at Emo’s, below. Don’t be a stranger. Come check us out!
Five Questions with…Pete Bauer
April 15th, 2009
The Walkmen
The Walkmen hit Webster Hall tomorrow night for a sold-out hometown show before beginning an arena tour with Kings of Leon. Pete Bauer, the bass and organ player, kindly took time to exchange e-mails with The House List to answer five questions.
What’s the last band you paid to see?
I think I actually paid to see Pearl Jam because my wife is some kind of crazed superfan. There have been several disagreements about this around the house, especially with the Eddie Vedder solo shows.
Which bands that you listened to growing up do you still listen to?
I still listen to the Rolling Stones and Bob Dylan and Roy Orbison and all those sort of golden oldies. I have also been listening to the Nation of Ulysses a lot again recently, which is something I listened to often growing up. I heard some of Extra Width by Jon Spencer on the radio the other day, which I hadn’t heard in years, but they cut the song off in the middle, which was weird.
Who are your inspirations outside of the music world?
I don’t know. I guess I like several writers a good amount. I always really loved Jorge Luis Borges and have really dug in deep with him for years. He is a real constant.
What’s the toughest part of playing New York City?
Historically, I would say it was always loading out. Putting all our crap back in our studio was always a disaster because everyone wants to go out and have a good time and someone always gets stuck with the piano. We solved this problem by getting equipment insurance and leaving everything in an unlocked van.
Have you ever experienced fear onstage?
The first time I ever had a show with my old band, the Recoys, I threw up as we went on. —R. Zizmor
