XMU marks the Tennis

So this is kind of rad: I’m listening to Sirius XMU right now and in between cuts from No Age and LCD Soundsystem, I just heard that song “Marathon” from Tennis, the breezy, uplifting one that kind of reminds me of “Bruises” by Chairlift — another lauded act with Colorado ties — every time I hear it.

While I’m sure they might’ve played it before — hell, it might be in regular rotation for all I know — this is the first time I’ve heard it. And I’ve gotta tell you, it was a nice surprise to unexpectedly hear a song from a local band on a national broadcast. It also took a minute to register when I heard the DJ, Jenny, say something like, “This song’s by Tennis, a group that’s bad a making names but good at making music.”

Clearly. And it’s sort of crazy when you think about it, the notice the act has attracted, especially considering the outfit has been together less than a year and only played a handful of times locally. Just the same, its star continues to rise. As I write this, the act is in the midst of a short tour of the Midwest and East Coast, including a stop at Daytrotter today. There’s something to be said for keeping your head down and just focusing on making compelling music.