Tennis: Cape Dory

If a couple of your friends just got back from seven months of sailing around the Atlantic, and wanted you to listen to a soundtrack they created to capture the experience, you might wish they’d keep their obnoxious aristocratic adventures to themselves. What’s most surprising about Tennis’ debut, Cape Dory, is how effectively husband-and-wife duo Patrick Riley and Alaina Moore coax listeners to drop their cynicism and join them on their happy little love cruise. With this collection of hazy, swooning surf-pop of the sort enjoyed by Californian teens half a century ago, it’s easy to indulge the two in their memories of the trip. The wonderfully simple lo-fi jangle perfectly matches the water imagery, but more importantly, it perfectly captures the naïve freedom and enchantment of youth, from aimless drives along the coast to late nights in diners to innocent prom-night romance. Cape Dory flawlessly explores this near-universal nostalgia through charming, bright melodies and Moore’s softly shining croon. “Seafarer” is a grooving, hip-shaking delight, while “Long Boat Pass” floats along on a vibrant sonic breeze; bookending them is the shimmering, catchy opener “Take Me Somewhere” and the delicate wax and wane of “Waterbirds.” Nearly everything is likeable and will surely sound even more so come summer, or any other time someone wants to remember what it’s like to be young and in love.