Tennis releases final album and announces farewell tour

The husband-and-wife team of Patrick Riley and Alaina Moore behind the indie-pop duo Tennis has released their seventh and final studio album, “Face Down in the Garden,” closing a 15-year musical journey that began with a sailing adventure and ends with what they describe as their most confident work.

“We wanted to write ourselves off the map by doing the unexpected thing, offsetting intuitive melodies with unusual arrangements, to make music that feels familiar but resists convention,” Moore said.

The announcement of the album being their last came earlier this month with the release of the single “12 Blown Tires,” which Moore described as “distilling the past 15 years into four minutes of music.”

“Face Down in the Garden” is an incredibly thoughtful collection of tracks. From front to back, Tennis takes listeners on a musical journey filled with melancholic and nostalgic feelings that explores the emotions representing their time together, both personally and professionally. The album is best listened to in one sitting, and at a time when you can let yourself get lost in the music and enjoy the warmth of the ’70s soft-rock turned indie-pop vibes.

“After finishing ‘Face Down in the Garden,’ it became clear that we had said everything we wanted to say and achieved everything we wanted to achieve with our band,” said Moore.

“We are ready to pursue other creative projects and to make space in our lives for new things,” she continued.

The new release sees Tennis exploring all three of their distinct musical categories — Brill Building, synth-pop and rock — creating what they describe as their most confident album despite the challenges they faced during its creation.

Moore detailed how the inspiration emerged during their “Pollen” tour, though the creative process faced numerous obstacles, including mechanical issues on the road and her development of a chronic illness.

To commemorate their career, the duo will also release “Neutral Poetry: First Recordings, Unreleased Demos 2009-2010” on May 16, featuring early versions of fan favorites and previously unreleased tracks from the beginning of their artistic journey.

Tennis will embark on a farewell tour beginning May 16 in Las Vegas, continuing through early September with performances at iconic venues including Chicago’s The Salt Shed, New York City’s The Rooftop at Pier 17 and Los Angeles’ Greek Theatre.

Tennis will be missed; however, the duo left us with an already unforgettable final album, leaving their mark in the indie-pop space and beyond. “Face Down in the Garden” is out now on all major streaming platforms, and a limited-edition sea glass colored vinyl is available for preorder.