Whiting Tennis - Three Leaf Clover
by Jonjo McNeill
published: 11 / 8 / 2007
Label:
Tarnished Records
Format: CD
intro
Simplisticly beautiful , acoustic led first solo album from lo-fi Seattle-born singer/songwriter Whiting Tennis
Whiting Tennis is a Seattle-born singer/songwriter, and 'Three Leaf Clover' is his first solo work since leaving previous band the Scholars. It is a fragile, acoustic led record which starts off with the lo-fi echoes of ‘Teenage Daughter’, in which Tennis sounds like a countrified Billy Corgan, every note dripping from his lip, spilling emotion over his sparsely strummed guitar. ‘William Harry Holmes’ has echoes of Nick Cave in its chamber-sounding drums and slide guitar, and it’s one of those songs you feel like you’ve known all your life. The acoustic styling is kept throughout, Tennis’ music being tenderly written and softly sung, but there’s not a point throughout where you’d want it to change. There are moments where the downtempo, soft acoustic sound gives way to ever-so-slightly more unusual sounds, and this helps to give 'Three Leaf Clover' a more eclectic feel. The staple of brushed drums, acoustic and slide guitar is complimented at various points with what could be the sound of the world outside, or simply a door closing or an instrument being laid down. It makes this record more intimate whilst also filling out the sound, a juxtoposition which serves Tennis well. Whiting Tennis has given us a gem with 'Three Leaf Clover'. In stark contrast to the plethora of below-average homegrown singer songwriters we’ve been cursed with in Britain, Tennis has made a record so simple yet so soaked in his own personality. Cast your nets over the Atlantic and check this album out - try not to bask in it’s simplistic beauty.
Track Listing:-
1 Teenage Daughter2 This Town
3 William Harry Holmes
4 Summer
5 Three Leaf Clover
6 Japanese Lanterns
7 One True Love
8 Clouds Of Mercy
9 The Golden Spike
10 Louisiana Donut Counter Man
11 The Kustard King
12 Wisconsin Blue
most viewed articles
current edition
In Dreams Begin Responsibilities - #15- On Being Dignified and Old aka Ten Tips From Jah Wobble On How To Be Happy.Dennis Tufano - Copernicus Center, Chicago, 19/7/2024
Elliott Murphy - Interview
Wreckless Eric - Interview
Adrian Gurvitz - Interview
In Dreams Begin Responsibilities - #16: Living in the Minds of Strangers
In Dreams Begin Responsibilities - #17: Tom Robinson
Norman Rodger - Interview
Chris Spedding - Interview
Penumbra - Interview
most viewed reviews
current edition
Groovy Uncle - Making ExcusesBill Wyman - Drive My Car
Hawkestrel - Chaos Rocks
Philip Parfitt - The Dark Light
Deep Purple - =1
Ross Couper Band - The Homeroad
Jules Winchester - The Journey
John Murry and Michael Timmins - A Little Bit of Grace and Decay
Popstar - Obscene
Splashgirl and Robert Aiki Aubrey Lowe - More Human
Pennyblackmusic Regular Contributors
Adrian Janes
Amanda J. Window
Andrew Twambley
Anthony Dhanendran
Benjamin Howarth
Cila Warncke
Daniel Cressey
Darren Aston
Dastardly
Dave Goodwin
Denzil Watson
Dominic B. Simpson
Eoghan Lyng
Fiona Hutchings
Harry Sherriff
Helen Tipping
Jamie Rowland
John Clarkson
Julie Cruickshank
Kimberly Bright
Lisa Torem
Maarten Schiethart